SCOTLAND

Citizens Advice Scotland

Ann McKechin: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what estimate he has made of the funding required from the Government to support Citizens Advice Scotland following its proposed acquisition of the responsibilities of Consumer Focus Scotland.

Michael Moore: The Government will work with Citizens Advice Scotland and Consumer Focus Scotland to ensure the transfer of functions is carried out smoothly. That will involve issues around funding.

Citizens Advice Scotland

Ann McKechin: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what  (a) discussions and  (b) correspondence on what dates he had with the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills on the transfer of the work of Consumer Focus Scotland to Citizens Advice Scotland prior to the announcement of that transfer.

Michael Moore: I have regular exchanges with the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills on a range of issues.
	The Scotland Office has had discussions with the Scottish Government and with Consumer Advice Scotland on the implications of the transfer of functions to Citizens Advice Scotland.

Mental Health

Jo Swinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what assessment he has made of the recommendations relevant to his Department's policy responsibilities contained in the Foresight report on Mental Capital and Well-Being by the Government Office for Science; if he will ensure that his Department takes steps to promote well-being; if he will ensure that his Department's policy development process takes account of psychological research into subjective well-being; and if he will make a statement.

Michael Moore: I welcome the conclusions of the Foresight Project on Mental Capital and Wellbeing and will ensure that my Department acts on these as appropriate.

Public Expenditure

Gregg McClymont: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what is his most recent estimate of the Barnett consequential for Scotland from planned changes to higher education funding in England; and if he will make a statement.

Michael Moore: The spending review sets out how the Government will carry out Britain's unavoidable deficit reduction plan by putting the economy back on a sustainable footing. The Scottish Government's budget is calculated using the Barnett formula which allocates population based shares of changes to spending on devolved matters, although it is for the Scottish Government to determine how they allocate their budget. The Scottish budget announced at the spending review therefore includes the population based share of the higher education resource budget in England being reduced by 40%, or £2.9 billion, from £7.1 billion to £4.2 billion by 2014-15.

Public Expenditure

Gregg McClymont: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what is his most recent estimate of the Barnett consequential for Scotland resulting from planned changes to the further education budget in England.

Michael Moore: The spending review sets out how the Government will carry out Britain's unavoidable deficit reduction plan by putting the economy back on a sustainable footing. The Scottish Government's budget is calculated using the Barnett formula which allocates population based shares of changes to spending on devolved matters, although it is for the Scottish Government to determine how they allocate their budget. The Scottish budget announced at the spending review therefore includes the population based share of the further education resource budget in England being reduced by 25%, or £1.1 billion, from £4.3 billion to £3.2 billion by 2014-15.

Students

Gregg McClymont: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland when he last met representatives of higher education students in Scotland.

Michael Moore: Ministers and officials have meetings with a wide variety of organisations in the public and private sectors as part of the process of policy development and delivery. As was the case with previous Administrations, it is not the Government's practice to provide details of all such meetings.

NORTHERN IRELAND

Departmental Early Retirement

Philip Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many staff of his Department have been offered enhanced early retirement packages in each of the last three years.

Owen Paterson: In each of the last three years my Department has offered the following enhanced early retirement packages:
	
		
			   Number 
			 2008 0 
			 2009 1 
			 2010 1

Departmental Reviews

Tom Watson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what departmental policy reviews his Department has undertaken since 6 May 2010; on what date each such review  (a) was announced and  (b) is expected to publish its findings; what estimate he has made of the cost of each such review; who has been appointed to lead each such review; to what remuneration each review leader is entitled; how many (i) full-time equivalent civil servants and (ii) seconded staff are working on each such review; from which organisations such staff have been seconded; and how much on average such seconded staff will be paid for their work on the review.

Owen Paterson: The Northern Ireland Office (NIO) has not undertaken any departmental policy reviews since 6 May 2010.

Departmental Travel

Ian Austin: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what estimate his Department has made of its expenditure on travel undertaken by  (a) him and  (b) each other Minister in his Department in (i) September and (ii) October 2010.

Owen Paterson: Travel expenditure incurred by the Northern Ireland Office ministerial team for September and October 2010 is as follows:
	 September travel expenditure
	Secretary of State: £5,535.35
	Minister of State: £1,448.00.
	 October travel expenditure
	Secretary of State: £10,233.55
	Minister of State: £1,797.44.

Human Trafficking

Peter Bone: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what recent discussions he has had with the Secretary of State for the Home Department on the level of human trafficking into Northern Ireland.

Owen Paterson: I have had no recent discussions on this subject. Policy relating to organised crime is the responsibility of the devolved Administration in Northern Ireland, in liaison with the Home Secretary and other UK authorities where appropriate.

Mental Health

Jo Swinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what assessment he has made of recommendations relevant to his Department's policy responsibilities contained in the Foresight report on Mental Capital and Wellbeing by the Government Office for Science; if he will ensure that his Department takes steps to promote well-being; if he will ensure that his Department's policy development process takes account of psychological research into subjective well-being; and if he will make a statement.

Owen Paterson: No recommendations contained in the Foresight report on Mental Capital and Wellbeing are relevant to the Department's policy responsibilities.

WALES

Departmental Official Hospitality

Ian Austin: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how much her Department spent on hospitality for events hosted by each of its Ministers in  (a) September and  (b) October 2010.

David Jones: Nil.

Departmental Redundancy

Angela Eagle: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales 
	(1)  how much funding to meet staff redundancy costs was identified in her Department's settlement letter in respect of the comprehensive spending review;
	(2)  what estimate she has made of the number of redundancies arising from the spending reductions proposed in the Comprehensive Spending Review;
	(3)  what estimate she has made of the cost to her Department of staff redundancy in each of the next four years.

David Jones: The Wales Office has no plans for any redundancies at present. Any work force reductions would most likely be achieved through routine staff turnover. Determining optimal work force reforms in order to live within the Department's spending review settlement will be an ongoing process.

Departmental Reviews

Tom Watson: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what departmental policy reviews her Department has undertaken since 6 May 2010; on what date each such review  (a) was announced and  (b) is expected to publish its findings; what estimate she has made of the cost of each such review; who has been appointed to lead each such review; to what remuneration each review leader is entitled; how many (i) full-time equivalent civil servants and (ii) seconded staff are working on each such review; from which organisations such staff have been seconded; and how much on average such seconded staff will be paid for their work on the review.

David Jones: The Wales Office has not undertaken any departmental policy reviews.

Departmental Travel

Ian Austin: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what estimate her Department has made of its expenditure on travel undertaken by  (a) her and  (b) each other Minister in her Department in (i) September and (ii) October 2010.

David Jones: The cost of travel for the Secretary of State was £455 in September and £173 in October. My travel costs were £146 in September and £169 in October.
	The Wales Office continues to make significant savings on travel since the Welsh Secretary instigated a standard class only travel policy for all Ministers and staff.

ELECTORAL COMMISSION COMMITTEE

Elections: Constituencies

Chris Heaton-Harris: To ask the hon. Member for South West Devon, representing the Speaker's Committee on the Electoral Commission, what guidance the Electoral Commission issues to local government boundary reviews on the  (a) number of members to be elected in each ward and  (b) the frequency of elections.

Gary Streeter: The Electoral Commission informs me that it issues no such guidance. The responsibility for local government boundary reviews lies with the local government boundary commissions for England, Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales.
	The Local Government Boundary Commission for England (LGBCE) informs me that it issues electoral review guidance to local authorities within the framework provided by the Local Democracy, Economic Development and Construction Act 2009.
	The Act provides that where a local authority which holds, or has resolved to hold, whole council elections every four years requests the LGBCE to undertake a single-member ward review, there is a presumption that the LGBCE should recommend a pattern of single-member wards for that authority. Where a local authority elects its members by thirds (elections in three years out of every four), there is a presumption that the LGBCE should recommend a uniform pattern of three-member wards. Similarly, where a local authority elects by halves (elections in two years out of four), there is a presumption that the LGCBE should recommend two-member wards.
	However, in each of these circumstances, the LGBCE is obliged to recommend a pattern of wards that best meets all of its other statutory criteria: to provide for equality of representation; to reflect community identities and interests; and to secure effective and convenient local government. This overrides any presumption to recommend a uniform pattern of single-, two- or three-member wards. Accordingly, the LGBCE is able to recommend a mixed pattern of wards if that would best meet its statutory criteria.
	The LGBCE does not provide guidance on the frequency of elections.

Elections: Referendums

Guto Bebb: To ask the hon. Member for South West Devon, representing the Speaker's Committee on the Electoral Commission, what estimate the Electoral Commission has made of the cost to the public purse of each referendum and election due to take place on 5 May 2011.

Gary Streeter: The Electoral Commission informs me that the estimated cost of its own activities relating to the UK-wide referendum proposed for 5 May, and which would also support the elections already scheduled in England, Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales on 5 May, is £9.3 million.
	This includes the cost of fulfilling its statutory responsibilities at a referendum, including delivering a public information campaign and making grants of public money, up to a maximum of £0.6 million each, to the designated organisations appointed as lead campaigners for each of the referendum outcomes. The Cabinet Office has developed separate estimates for the total costs of running a national referendum and I refer the hon. Member to the answer given by the Minister for Political and Constitutional Reform, the hon. Member for Forest of Dean, (Mr Harper) on 14 July 2010,  Official Report, column 798W.
	Should the UK-wide referendum not take place then the Commission informs me that its estimated costs in relation to the scheduled elections on 5 May 2011 alone would be approximately £3 million.

ATTORNEY-GENERAL

Departmental Official Hospitality

Ian Austin: To ask the Attorney-General how much the Law Officers' Departments spent on hospitality for events hosted by each Minister in those departments in  (a) September and  (b) October 2010.

Dominic Grieve: There has not been any expenditure on such events by the Law Officers' Departments during this period.

Departmental Reviews

Tom Watson: To ask the Attorney-General what departmental policy reviews the Law Officers' Departments have undertaken since 6 May 2010; on what date each such review  (a) was announced and  (b) is expected to publish its findings; what estimate he has made of the cost of each such review; who has been appointed to lead each such review; to what remuneration each review leader is entitled; how many (i) full-time equivalent civil servants and (ii) seconded staff are working on each such review; from which organisations such staff have been seconded; and how much on average such seconded staff will be paid for their work on the review.

Dominic Grieve: The Law Officer's Departments have not undertaken any policy reviews since 6 May 2010.

Departmental Travel

Ian Austin: To ask the Attorney-General what estimate the Law Officers' Departments have made of expenditure on travel undertaken by  (a) him and  (b) each other Minister in these Departments in (i) September and (ii) October 2010.

Dominic Grieve: Travel by Ministers is undertaken in accordance with the Ministerial Code.
	The expenditure on air and rail travel undertaken by the Attorney-General and the Solicitor-General in September and October 2010 is as follows:
	
		
			  £ 
			   Attorney-General  Solicitor-General 
			 September 620 530 
			 October 38 0 
		
	
	The Law Officers also made use of the Government Car Service during this period for shorter journeys while on Government business, the annual costs for which are presented to Parliament by the Secretary of State for Transport in a written ministerial statement.

Human Trafficking: Prosecutions

Peter Bone: To ask the Attorney-General what recent assessment he has made of the effectiveness of the Crown Prosecution Service in bringing prosecutions for offences relating to human trafficking; and if he will make a statement.

Dominic Grieve: The Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) is working to improve the number of prosecutions under human trafficking legislation. Where the CPS is unable to prosecute for a human trafficking offence, they will charge other offences such as assisting unlawful immigration to a member state (facilitation), combined with serious criminal offences such as rape, kidnapping, false imprisonment, threats to kill and causing or inciting prostitution for gain. All cases are reviewed in accordance with the Code for Crown Prosecutors.

ENVIRONMENT FOOD AND RURAL AFFAIRS

Biodiversity: International Cooperation

Graham Stringer: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will place in the Library a copy of the international agreement on biodiversity concluded at Nagoya in October 2010.

Richard Benyon: Over 40 decisions were agreed by the 193 parties to the convention on biological diversity (CBD), by consensus. These included an agreement on a new protocol on access and benefit sharing with respect to genetic resources, a new strategic plan setting out the actions required by parties to meet the new mission of the convention, and a resource mobilisation strategy to help developing countries to deliver their commitments for biodiversity. The decisions are available as advance, unedited texts from the CBD website. The final versions will be published on the CBD website once the official Rapporteur of the meeting has agreed to them.
	Copies of decisions of meetings of intergovernmental bodies like the Conference of the Parties to the CBD would not normally be placed in the Library, as they are not published in the United Kingdom, and are freely available from the internet.

Dangerous Dogs

Stephen Twigg: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs whether her Department holds figures on the incidence of dog-on-dog attacks.

James Paice: Figures on the numbers of dog-on-dog attacks are not centrally recorded.

Dangerous Dogs

Stephen Twigg: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will bring forward measures to reduce the number of dog-on-dog attacks.

James Paice: Earlier this year, the law on dangerous dogs was the subject of a public consultation. The consultation closed on 1 June and some of the 4,250 responses referred to the issue of dog-on-dog attacks. The Government will be publishing a summary of the responses and will make an announcement about the way ahead shortly.

Dangerous Dogs Act

Jake Berry: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what timescale she has set for the continuation of her Department's public consultation on the Dangerous Dogs Act.

James Paice: The consultation closed on 1 June and received 4,250 responses. The Government will be publishing a summary of the responses and make an announcement about the way ahead shortly.

Dogs: Breeding

Bob Russell: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what steps she plans to take to ensure that measures suggested by the Advisory Council on the Welfare Issues of Dog Breeding are implemented by  (a) the Kennel Club and  (b) breed clubs.

James Paice: The Government welcome the establishment of the independent Dog Advisory Council, whose members are currently being appointed. However, it is premature to offer a commitment to facilitate any recommendations that the council may make.

Dogs: Breeding

Bob Russell: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will take steps to ensure that pedigree dogs are free from genetic disease and exaggerated conformations before they are allowed to breed; and if she will make a statement.

James Paice: I consider that the recent establishment of an independent Dog Advisory Council is a positive step towards protecting the health of all dogs. The council will address breeding malpractices and it is premature to speculate at this stage what actions Government may be asked to take to promote higher breed standards.

EU Grants and Loans

Anne McIntosh: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what matched funding for Rural Development Fund payments to farmers in England there has been in each of the last five years.

James Paice: The following table shows figures on the matched funding for rural development fund payments to farmers in England in each of the last five years.
	
		
			  £ million 
			  Financial year  European funds  Exchequer match funds 
			 2009-10 267,904 193,830 
			 2008-09 234,301 184,445 
			 2007-08 193,402 173,130 
			 2006-07 152,850 182,233 
			 2005-06 117,302 157,228 
		
	
	The spend figures above were taken from DEFRA's consolidated resource accounts.
	These figures are the total spend, and include funding paid to rural projects, some of which went to non-farming socio-economic beneficiaries.

Greenhouse Gas Emissions: Electronic Equipment

Graham Stringer: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what information her Department holds on the level of sales of hydrofluorocarbon gases for refrigeration and air conditioning equipment in the UK in each of the last five years.

James Paice: DEFRA does not hold specific information on the level of sales of hydrofluorocarbon gases (HFCs) in the UK in each of the last five years. However, a study undertaken by AEA Technology on behalf of DEFRA and the Department for Energy and Climate Change, considers the use and consumption of HFCs in the UK in all sectors where emissions occur, including the refrigeration and air conditioning sectors. This study revalidates and updates historic consumption, and provides an estimate of emissions through to 2050. A copy of the study is available on the DEFRA website at:
	http://www.defra.gov.uk/environment/quality/air/fgas/documents/hfc-aeat101005.pdf

Meat: Labelling

Angie Bray: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will take steps to ensure that the public is made aware of the slaughter method used for meat sold by food retailers; and if she will make a statement.

James Paice: I appreciate that this is an issue which people feel strongly about and we will be working with interested groups to find a way to address their concerns. People should know what they are buying in shops and when they are eating out, and I will be discussing with the food industry whether labelling and point of sale information can play a greater role in giving consumers a choice.

Otters

Mark Pritchard: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what steps she is taking to maintain the habitat of wild otters.

Richard Benyon: Pollution control and river management works carried out by the Environment Agency with water companies, wildlife trusts, local rivers trusts and riparian landowners have helped to improve water quality and habitat structure in many rivers in England and Wales.
	Further habitat improvement and pollution prevention work, including land management incentives to tackle diffuse pollution, will help to make further improvements to the ecological status of rivers over the next few years. This should allow otters to continue their recovery, which has already seen an increase from occurrence at 5.8% of river sites in 1977-79 to 58.8% in 2009-10.

Pets: EU Action

Bob Russell: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will make it her policy to sign the European Convention for the Protection of Pet Animals.

James Paice: We have no current plans to sign the Council of Europe Convention for the Protection of Pet Animals. The Animal Welfare Act 2006 means that our laws are already consistent with the principles set out in the convention. However, we continue to have concerns about some of the convention's detailed provisions.

Radiation: RAF Odiham

Paul Flynn: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what reasons have been identified for the increase in gamma radiation levels recorded by the Radioactive Incident Monitoring Network radiation monitor at Odiham between noon and 3pm on 4 August 2010.

Charles Hendry: I have been asked to reply.
	During the period 13:00 hrs to 15:00 hrs on 4 August 2010 a severe electrical storm was present in the Odiham area and indications are that this affected the power supply to the RIMNET monitor on the Odiham site causing it to give abnormal readings which were recorded by the RIMNET system. The original probe, while not faulty, has been replaced as a precaution.

Rural Areas: Village Halls

Helen Grant: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what support her Department gives to rural communities for the maintenance and improvement of village halls and community centres.

Richard Benyon: DEFRA currently funds the Rural Community Buildings Load Fund which is managed by Action with Communities in Rural England (ACRE). This provides low cost loans to the sector, enabling communities to keep their buildings in a good state of repair. The funding of Community Halls dates back to the late 1930s. The current provision for this rolling fund stands at £700,000.
	Additionally, DEFRA committed a total of £45,000 in funding over three years, from 2008-09 until 2010-11, towards research of the latest village hall survey. This was part of a package of support to fund Rural Communities Action Network (RCAN) for supporting rural communities as part of Community Empowerment and Rural Partnership Programme. The national rural community buildings survey is probably the most comprehensive information source on community-owned buildings, and provides detailed information on their physical state, financing, use and governance. In particular, some of the data were used by the Big Lottery to help make the case for the recently announced new Big Lottery Reaching Communities Programme for the extension and refurbishment of halls.

Seals: Conservation

Adrian Sanders: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will bring forward legislative proposals to amend the Conservation of Seals Act 1970 to enhance the legal protection of seals.

Richard Benyon: The Protection of Seals Act 1970, in combination with other legislation, provides appropriate protection for seals in England. It provides a proportionate balance between the conservation of the seals and the needs of those impacted upon by individual problem seals.
	However, DEFRA has submitted wildlife conservation and protection legislation as an area for potential review by the Law Commission under its Regulatory Reform Programme.

Sustainable Development

Zac Goldsmith: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs pursuant to the answer to the hon. Member for Brighton Pavilion (Caroline Lucas) of 19 October 2010,  Official Report, column 634W, on sustainable development, what discussions she has had with the Chancellor of the Exchequer on steps to ensure that sustainable development is fully embedded into the Treasury's Green Book.

James Paice: DEFRA's Structural Reform Plan, agreed with the Prime Minister, commits us to produce guidance to ensure that sustainability and the value of nature are taken into account in policy appraisal. My officials are working closely with Her Majesty's Treasury and the Government Economic Service members across Whitehall to ensure the recommendations of the DEFRA-led Review of the Economics of Sustainable Development are implemented. This includes work to improve the way we take account of environmental impacts in policy appraisal. The Government expect Parliament will play a major role in holding it to account in achieving this.
	Economists and social researchers from DEFRA are taking a lead role in the cross-government Social Impacts Task Force (co-chaired by DEFRA's Chief Economist), which aims to ensure that analysts across Government are more systematically and consistently assessing social impacts, which was a recommendation of the Review. The Task Force's remit includes developing guidance to help departments assess the social impacts of Government policies; and highlighting the importance of social impacts and wellbeing indicators in cost benefit analysis and impact assessment of policies. One of the outputs produced by the taskforce will include developing supplementary guidance on social impacts.

ENERGY AND CLIMATE CHANGE

Carbon Emissions: Companies

Aidan Burley: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change whether his Department plans to implement mandatory reporting of carbon emissions for UK-listed companies.

James Paice: I have been asked to reply.
	I refer my hon. Friend to the answer given to the hon. Member for Hartlepool (Mr Wright) 27 October 2010,  Official Report, column 319W.

Departmental Reviews

Tom Watson: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what departmental policy reviews his Department has undertaken since 6 May 2010; on what date each such review  (a) was announced and  (b) is expected to publish its findings; what estimate he has made of the cost of each such review; who has been appointed to lead each such review; to what remuneration each review leader is entitled; how many (i) full-time equivalent civil servants and (ii) seconded staff are working on each such review; from which organisations such staff have been seconded; and how much on average such seconded staff will be paid for their work on the review.

Gregory Barker: DECC has undertaken the following reviews since 6 May 2010:
	
		
			  Review  Date announced  Date findings due to be published  Estimate of total cost of review  Appointed reviewer and remuneration  Number  of FTE civil servants working on review  Number  of seconded staff and average cost 
			 Ofgem review 27 July2010 Spring 2011 The reviews are financed through the Department's general budgets and no specific budget has been allocated to them. The reviews are both led by Department of Energy and Climate Change staff. DECC staff leading reviews have been recruited from within the Department and would not be entitled to further payments for their work in addition to their salary. 4 (1)1 
			
			 Electricity Market Reform 27 July2010 Consultation document autumn 2010; White Paper spring 2011 - - 11 (2)1 
			
			 Review of the Carbon Reduction Commitment(CRC) scheme Ongoing review of CRC scheme being under taken as announced in 2009 consultation. Ongoing (we announced in 2009 that we would keep this under review) - - 4 n/a 
			 (1) (Ernst and Young LLP) paid by DECC within the Grade 7 salary band, £46,975-£56,597. As this seconded member of staff is below the senior civil service grade the actual amount paid to them is withheld under section 40 of the Freedom of Information Act. (2) Secondee (Deloitte) paid by DECC within the Grade 7 salary band, £46,975-£56,597. As this seconded member of staff is below the Senior Civil Service grade the actual amount paid to them is withheld under Section 40 of the Freedom of Information Act.

Electricity Generation

Graeme Morrice: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what the production price per kWh is for each major electricity generating technology method.

Charles Hendry: The following tables are taken from Mott Macdonald (2010) and give levelised cost estimates (average generation cost per megawatt-hour) for new build plants in the main large-scale electricity generation technologies in the UK, including onshore wind, offshore wind and nuclear, at current engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) contract prices.
	Where technologies are emerging, costs are given on a First-of-a-Kind (FOAK) basis, which includes a cost premium associated with early projects.
	
		
			  Case 1: 10% discount rate, 2009 project start at today's EPC prices, with mixed FOAK/NOAK 
			  Levelised cost  Gas CCGT  Gas CCGT with CCS - FOAK  ASC coal  ASC coal with CCCS - FOAK  Coal IGCC - FOAK 
			 Capital Costs 12.4 29.8 33.4 74.1 61.7 
			 Fixed operating costs 3.7 7.7 8.6 18.6 9.7 
			 Variable operating costs 2.3 3.6 2.2 4.7 3.4 
			 Fuel costs 46.9 65.0 19.9 28.7 20.3 
			 Carbon costs 15.1 2.1 40.3 6.5 39.6 
			 Decomm and waste fund - - - - - 
			 CO2 transport and storage 4.3 - 9.6 - 9.5 
			 Steam revenue - - - - - 
			 Total levelised cost 80.3 112.5 104.5 142.1 134.6 
		
	
	
		
			  Levelised cost  Coal IGCC with CCS - FOAK  Onshore wind  Offshore wind - FOAK  Offshore wind R3 - FOAK  Nuclear PWR FOAK 
			 Capital Costs 82.0 79.2 124.1 144.6 77.3 
			 Fixed operating costs 17.7 14.6 36.7 45.8 12.2 
			 Variable operating costs 4.6 - - - 2.1 
			 Fuel costs 28.3 - - - 5.3 
			 Carbon costs 5.5 - - - - 
			 Decomm and waste fund - - - 2.1  
			 CO2 transport and storage - - -   
			 Steam revenue - - - -  
			 Total levelised cost 147.6 93.9 160.9 190.5 99.0 
			  Source: Mott Macdonald (2010), UK electricity generation costs update, available at:  http://www.decc.gov.uk/assets/decc/Statistics/Projections/71-uk-electricity-generation-costs-update-.pdf 
		
	
	The following are the levelised costs per MWh for projects started in 2017. They are all given here on the basis of Nth-of-a-Kind (NOAK) meaning it is assumed that all technologies have matured and there has been a cost reduction through learning. For some technologies this is expected to result in a reduction in costs.
	
		
			  Case 2:  10% discount rate: 2017 project start at projected EPC prices, all NOAK Coal 
			  Levelised  c ost  Gas -CCGT  Gas - CCGT with CCS  ASC Coal  ASC Coal+CCS  Coal IGCC  Coal - IGCCC with CCS  Onshore Wind  Offshore Wind  Offshore Wind R3  Nuclear - PWR 
			 Capital costs 11.2 20.7 28.7 47.8 33.7 46.5 71.7 89.4 97.0 49.6 
			 Fixed operating costs 3.7 6.0 8.6 13.8 8.0 12.3 14.6 23.0 30.9 9.1 
			 Variable operating costs 2.3 3.6 2.2 3.7 2.7 3.6 - - - 1.8 
			 Fuel costs 49.8 64.7 19.9 27.6 19.6 27.2 - - - 5.2 
			 Carbon costs 29.6 4.1 73.8 11.4 72.0 10.0 - - - - 
			 Decomm and waste fund - - - - - - - - - 2.1 
			 CO2 transport and storage - 3.5 - 7.6 - 7.5 - - - - 
			 Steam revenue - - - - - - - - - - 
			 Total levelised cost 96.5 102.6 133.2 111.9 136.0 107.1 86.3 112.4 127.9 67.8 
		
	
	It should be noted that the estimates of levelised costs for different types of electricity generation are highly sensitive to the assumptions used for capital costs, fuel and European Union Emissions Trading Scheme allowance prices, operating costs, load factor, and other drivers. Meaning that there is significant uncertainty around these estimates.
	The levelised costs reflect only the cost of power generation and its delivery to the grid. They do not reflect the availability to certain technologies of subsidy such as Renewables Obligation Certificates.

Electricity Generation

Graeme Morrice: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change whether he has discussed with the devolved administrations his proposals for replacement of current nuclear electricity generation.

Charles Hendry: The Government have discussed and, where appropriate, consulted with the devolved Administrations throughout the development of the new nuclear programme.

Energy: Prices

Alan Whitehead: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change how many tariffs from energy supply companies were available to consumers in each of the last six months.

Charles Hendry: DECC does not hold the information requested. To meet its principal duty, to protect the interests of consumers, Ofgem collects relevant information but I understand it does not have the specific data requested. However, Ofgem are able to provide details of the number of tariffs available to a new domestic gas, electricity and dual fuel customer based on a snapshot of 1 November 2010(1). The following table excludes: social tariffs; any tariffs that were closed to a new customer as at 1 November 2010; and tariffs offered by suppliers other than the main six energy suppliers. The majority of tariffs are available in each region. In some cases, tariffs may have the same price and payment method-but there could be differences in service options such as loyalty scheme points, vouchers or donations to different charities turning a single price and payment plan into multiple options.
	(1) The tariff data were provided by Energy Services Online Limited:
	www.theEnergyShop.com
	
		
			  Total number of tariffs available to a new customer in the average region, across main six energy suppliers 
			   Electricity  Gas  Dual fuel 
			 Direct debit 109 20 129 
			 Standard credit 69 15 73 
			 Prepayment meter 17 7 16

Energy: Prices

Christopher Pincher: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change if he will bring forward proposals for minimum standards for energy tariffs which include a requirement for energy suppliers to  (a) give notice of a month prior to a customer's deal coming to an end and  (b) provide information on the tariff to which such customers will be transferred in circumstances in which they do not switch tariffs before the expiry of their deal.

Charles Hendry: The Energy Security and Green Energy Bill will include measures to improve energy efficiency and energy security, measures to enable low carbon generation and measures to clarify liabilities and responsibilities. We have no plans to include the very specific measures the hon. Member asks about.
	In circumstances where a domestic customer will become subject to a deemed contract when an existing contract ends, Ofgem already requires energy suppliers to give the domestic customer details of the deemed contract terms 30 working days in advance of the date the existing contract is due to end.

Liquid Petroleum Gas

Simon Hart: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change if he will discuss with suppliers of fixed liquid petroleum gas supplies on communal contracts the provision of variations to such contracts in order to enable individual domestic consumers to withdraw from them.

Charles Hendry: I met on 4 November with representatives from UKLPG, the trade association which represents liquid petroleum gas suppliers. As part of the meeting, I discussed with them communal contracts and the provision of variations to such contracts in order to enable individual domestic consumers to switch supplier. I asked them to consider what more could be done to improve the functioning of the market.
	The Office of Fair Trading will continue to monitor the market and do all they can to ensure that consumers can exercise their right to switch supplier.

Liquid Petroleum Gas

Therese Coffey: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change if he will extend the price protection rules applicable to gas and electricity resellers to cover the maximum price allowed to be charged by resellers of liquid petroleum gas to  (a) customers in mobile home parks and  (b) other customers.

Charles Hendry: The Maximum Resale Price (MRP) rules apply to the re-sale of gas and electricity within the regulated energy market. Under competition and consumer law, consumers have protection under the "Supply of Goods and Services Act" and "Unfair Terms in Consumer Contracts Regulations". The Office of Fair Trading and the Competition Commission are responsible for enforcement of competition and consumer law.

Ofgem: National Parks

Tessa Munt: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change whether he has issued guidance to Ofgem on its duty to have regard to the purposes of national parks and areas of outstanding natural beauty.

Charles Hendry: The Government have not issued Ofgem with guidance on these particular issues, although it has done so on wider social and environmental issues. Ofgem does, however, have a statutory duty to have regard to effects on the environment in carrying out its functions.

Renewable Energy

Philip Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what  (a) financial and  (b) other sanctions the EU institutions are entitled to impose on member states who do not meet the 15 per cent. renewables target.

Charles Hendry: Directive 2009/28/EC (the renewable energy directive) imposes a duty on the UK to ensure that its share of energy from renewable sources in gross final consumption of energy in 2020 is at least 15%.
	If the Commission considers that a member state has failed to meet its obligations under the directive it will raise the issue with the member state concerned, giving the member state the opportunity to submit its observations. The Commission may then deliver a reasoned opinion requiring the member state to bring itself into compliance within such period of time as the Commission may specify. Should the member state dispute or fail to comply with the reasoned opinion, the Commission can bring infraction proceedings against the member state in the Court of Justice of the European Union.
	If the member state fails to take the necessary measures to comply with the judgment of the Court of Justice, the European Commission can bring a further set of proceedings against the member state, seeking the imposition of a fine. The court could impose a lump sum fine and a recurring penalty payment which would apply until the member state complied with the judgment. There is no limit on the size of the fine that the court could impose, but the European Commission has issued guidance on the fines that it would seek (SEC(2005)1658 as updated by SEC(2010) 923/3).
	Article 5(2) of the directive provides for a member state to inform the European Commission if it considers that, due to force majeure, it is impossible for it to meet its 2020 target. In the event that the Commission decides that force majeure has been demonstrated, it will determine what adjustment shall be made to the member state's levels of renewable energy for the year 2020.

Renewable Energy

David Morris: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what assessment he has made of the cost per unit to the public purse of producing energy through  (a) the Severn Barrage and  (b) onshore wind farms.

Charles Hendry: The Severn Tidal Power feasibility study did not compare the costs of a scheme to onshore wind but used a range of other low-carbon generating technologies as comparators (offshore wind, coal with carbon capture and storage, and nuclear). No assessment was made of the potential cost of Severn tidal power to the public purse, as the study did not propose a funding or delivery mechanism.
	The feasibility study also calculated levelised generation costs for five potential Severn power schemes. These can be compared to recent estimates of levelised costs for onshore wind to give an indication of the relative cost of the technologies, as set out in the following table. All Severn scheme costs exclude the costs of Compensatory Habitat provision and any adjustment for Optimism Bias.
	
		
			  Technology  Levelised cost of generation, 10% discount rate (£/MWh) 
			 Cardiff Weston Barrage 199 
			 Shoots Barrage 215 
			 Beachley Barrage 267 
			 Welsh Grounds Lagoon 320 
			 Bridgwater Bay Lagoon 238 
			 Onshore Wind (Nth of a Kind, 2017 Project Start Date) 86 
			  Sources: Severn scheme costs from Severn Tidal Power feasibility study Impact Assessment. Onshore Wind costs from Mott MacDonald, "UK Electricity Generation Costs Update", June 2010, p87.

Renewable Energy

David Morris: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what assessment his Department has made of the effect of not proceeding with plans for the construction of a Severn Barrage on the number of onshore wind farms to be constructed in the next 10 years.

Charles Hendry: The UK Renewable Energy Strategy (2009) sets out the Government's assessment of the potential contribution of different renewable energy generating technologies towards the UK 2020 renewable energy target. This assessment did not assume that a Severn tidal power scheme would contribute to meeting the target. As such, the Government's decision not to bring forward such a scheme has had no effect on the assessment of the potential amount of onshore wind that will be delivered by 2020.

Renewable Energy: Heating

Graham Stringer: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what steps he is taking to ensure that individual installed heat pumps are certified as meeting the required average seasonal performance factor as defined in annex VII of the use of energy from renewable sources directive 2009/28/EC.

Gregory Barker: I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave my hon. Friend the Member for Richmond Park (Zac Goldsmith) on 4 November 2010,  Official Report, column 890W. The method for determining the average seasonal performance factor will feature as part of the European Commission's guidance, as required under the renewables directive. Certification will be crucial, and we will be seeking views on our approach to certification in our forthcoming consultations on our microgeneration strategy and on the renewable heat incentive regulations.

Wind Power: Na h-Eileanan an Iar

Angus MacNeil: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what estimate he has made of the likely generation capacity of  (a) on-shore and  (b) off-shore wind energy in respect of Na h-Eileanan an Iar in the next (i) five and (ii) 10 years.

Charles Hendry: DECC does not make assessments of generation capacity in respect of individual areas such as Na h-Eileanan an Iar. Decisions on where to site wind farms are ultimately a matter for developers and planning authorities.
	However, it is clear that Scotland will play a significant role in delivering the wind projects that we need to meet our 2020 renewable energy targets.

DEFENCE

Service Accommodation

Stephen Gilbert: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what recent assessment he has made of the adequacy of the condition of single living and service families' accommodation.

Andrew Robathan: Over 95% of service family accommodation properties in the UK are currently at the top two standards for condition with some 41% of single living accommodation bed-spaces at the top two condition grades.
	The Government place a high priority on the welfare of service personnel and their families and will therefore seek to improve accommodation from efficiencies within the Ministry of Defence.

Service Personnel: Reductions

Tom Blenkinsop: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what assessment he has made of the effect of his proposed reductions in service personnel on the UK's military capability.

Liam Fox: Changes to our future forces will ensure they retain their geographical reach and ability to operate across a spectrum from high-intensity intervention to enduring stabilisation activity. We will ensure we retain appropriate skills and maintain a coherent mix of trained and experienced personnel for the future.

Humanitarian Aid: Afghanistan

Daniel Poulter: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what role the armed forces have in supporting the provision of humanitarian aid in Afghanistan; and if he will make a statement.

Nick Harvey: The UK armed forces play an important role in supporting the provision of humanitarian aid in Afghanistan including through the UK-led Helmand Provincial Reconstruction Team.
	The team has approximately 260 staff, around half of whom are military, provided by the UK, US, Denmark and Estonia. The role of the team is to help the Afghan Government improve their governance, services and security in Helmand.

National Security Council

Nicholas Soames: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what role the National Security Council has in ensuring closer working between his Department and other Government Departments.

Liam Fox: We set up the National Security Council to direct a fully co-ordinated Government response to the dangers we face. It integrates at the highest level the work of defence, foreign, home, energy and international development Departments, and all other arms of Government contributing to national security. It has successfully led the work on the Strategic Defence and Security Review and will see through its implementation.

Service Personnel: Germany

Grahame Morris: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what recent discussions he has had with the German Government on the return of service personnel from Germany.

Liam Fox: I have written to the German Defence Minister, informing him of our aim to return half our personnel from Germany by 2015 and the remainder by 2020. I also reassured him that we will work closely with him to minimise the effects of our withdrawal and to maintain our close security and defence partnership. In addition my ministerial colleagues and officials maintain regular dialogue with their counterparts.

Defence Technical College

Alun Michael: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what plans his Department has for the defence technical college at MOD St Athan.

Nick Harvey: Following the announcement on 19 October 2010 to terminate the Defence Training Rationalisation procurement, work has now begun on alternative options for the future defence technical training solution. The St Athan site remains an option for consideration.

Compulsory Redundancies

Karl Turner: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what discussions he has had on compulsory redundancies from the armed forces as a result of the outcomes of the strategic defence and security review.

Liam Fox: I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave earlier today to the hon. Member for Scunthorpe (Nic Dakin).

Africa: Military Attachés

Nicholas Soames: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence to which countries in Africa British military attachés are posted.

Nick Harvey: There are British defence attachés in Algeria, Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), Egypt, Ethiopia, Ghana, Kenya, Morocco, Nigeria, Sierra Leone, South Africa, Sudan, Uganda and Zimbabwe.

Air Force: Military Bases

Bob Ainsworth: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what plans he has for the future of the RAF bases at  (a) Kinloss and  (b) Lossiemouth; when he plans to make a decision on their future; and if he will make a statement.

Nick Harvey: As detailed in the Strategic Defence and Security Review White Paper the decisions to not bring Nimrod MRA4 into service, retire the Harrier Force and reduce the size of our Tornado fleet, will mean that Kinloss and two other bases will no longer be required by the RAF. No decisions have yet been made on which other two bases will be affected, or on any future use of the bases, although it is possible that some of the estate vacated by the RAF will be used by units returning from Germany or retained for other Defence purposes.
	Given the significant work required on our overall basing plan, it is unlikely that any final decisions on RAF basing or future Defence use of those bases will be taken before the end of the first quarter of next year.

Armed Forces: Mental Health Services

Oliver Colvile: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what assessment he has made of the effect of the outcomes of the Strategic Defence and Security Review on mental healthcare provision for service personnel.

Liam Fox: I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave earlier today to the hon. Members for Enfield, Southgate (Mr Burrowes) and Croydon South (Richard Ottaway).

MOD St Athan: Training

Bob Ainsworth: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what plans his Department has for the facilities already established for service training at MOD St Athan.

Nick Harvey: Following the cancellation of the Defence Training Rationalisation private finance initiative, the initial works contracts already under way at Ministry of Defence St Athan will continue. Work to secure East Camp on health and safety grounds and to permit efficient management of the site over the next five years will be undertaken. The moves of No. 4 School of Technical Training, the University of Wales Air Squadron, and the Defence Support Group into other areas of East Camp will continue as planned.
	MOD St Athan was previously chosen as the best location on which to collocate technical training for good reasons, and it remains an option for future defence training.

Nuclear Weapons

Paul Flynn: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence pursuant to the answer to the hon. Member for Brighton Pavilion of 15 June 2010,  Official Report, column 351W, on nuclear weapons:  (a) on what date and  (b) at which location the 2010 stocktake meeting between the Government and the US administration under the 1958 Mutual Defence Agreement took place; and if he will place in the Library a copy of the programme for the meeting.

Peter Luff: The 34th meeting of the UK/US Stocktake was held in the US Department of Energy, Forrestal Building, Washington DC on 15 September 2010. The programme comprised discussions on nuclear threat reduction, warhead, and platform issues, together with a consideration of future exchanges.
	I am withholding a copy of the programme for the purpose of safeguarding national security.

Public Expenditure

Denis MacShane: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what proportion of gross domestic product  (a) was allocated to his Department in funding in each year since 2000 and  (b) he expects to be so allocated in each year to 2015.

Liam Fox: Data on UK Defence spending as a proportion of GDP are collected and published by NATO in order to allow comparisons between NATO countries.
	Data from 2000 are shown in the following table.
	
		
			  UK Defence spend proportion of GDP 
			   Percentage 
			 2000 2.5 
			 2001 2.5 
			 2002 2.4 
			 2003 2.4 
			 2004 2.2 
			 2005 2.5 
			 2006 2.4 
			 2007 2.5 
			 2008 2.6 
			 2009 2.7 
		
	
	The figures that the Ministry of Defence (MOD) provide to NATO are for Defence expenditure, as detailed in their instructions. This definition includes the MOD's core budget along with the cost of operations, pensions and Armed Forces Compensation Scheme payments made to ex-military personnel, and non-budget costs.
	The specific percentage of GDP in future years will be dependent on the actual spend in those categories that are in addition to the Defence budget. The MOD has forecast, however, that spending on Defence as a percentage of GDP will continue to meet the NATO target of 2% over the spending review period.

Rescue Services: Helicopters

Angus Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many search and rescue missions were flown from RAF Kinross using MR2 aircraft in March 2010; and what the  (a) distance and  (b) duration was of each such mission.

Nick Harvey: Two search and rescue (SAR) missions were flown by MR2 aircraft from RAF Kinloss in March 2010. The distance and duration of each mission is shown as follows. The distances are in nautical miles from RAF Kinloss to the SAR task and do not represent the total distance flown. The durations relate only to the actual search and rescue mission.
	
		
			   Distance (nautical miles)  Duration (hours/mins) 
			 17 March 2010 184 2 hrs 26 mins 
			 17 March 2010 625 5 hrs 15 mins

Rescue Services: Helicopters

Angus Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many search and rescue missions were flown using C130 aircraft in the last five years; what the  (a) distance and  (b) duration was of each such mission; and from where each aircraft was dispatched.

Nick Harvey: One search and rescue mission was flown by a C-130 Hercules aircraft in the last five years.
	The distance provided in the following table is nautical miles from RAF Lyneham to the search and rescue task and not the total distance flown. The duration is that of the actual search and rescue mission.
	
		
			   Departure location  Distance NM  Duration (hours/mins) 
			 25 February 2009 RAF Lyneham 545 5 hrs 11 mins

Rescue Services: Helicopters

Angus Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence on how many occasions life-rafts and survival containers have been deployed during a search and rescue mission by  (a) C-130 and  (b) Nimrod MR2 in each of the last three years; and what the (i) distance and (ii) duration of the mission was in each case.

Nick Harvey: There is no record of this equipment having been deployed by either aircraft during a search and rescue mission over the last three years.

Trident Value For Money Review

Bernard Jenkin: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what account his Department took of  (a) defence inflation,  (b) unforeseen design risks and  (c) changes in specification between 2010 and 2016 in identifying cost savings in the Trident value for money review.

Liam Fox: Projected inflation in relevant sectors was considered and treated in the normal way as part of the value for money work. Due consideration was given to unforeseen design risk and changes in specification through the application of uncertainty margins.

USA: Arms Trade

Douglas Carswell: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will direct the British Embassy in Washington to amend the remit of any renewed contract for political consultancy services with O'Brien and Associates so as to exclude any requirement to influence procurement decisions.

Peter Luff: O'Brien and Associates have not been contracted to influence US or UK procurement decisions on behalf of the British embassy. O'Brien and Associates provide specialist advice and information on major US defence equipment programmes and relevant budget issues, principally as they pass through Congress. The current contract expires in December 2010 and the embassy will determine whether these services are required beyond this period. In the event that a new contract is required, the schedule of requirements will continue to exclude any requirement to influence procurement decisions.

HOUSE OF COMMONS COMMISSION

Catering

Frank Field: To ask the hon. Member for Middlesbrough, representing the House of Commons Commission, for what reasons the Administration Committee has published a call for specialist advisers for its inquiry into catering services in the House of Commons.

Stuart Bell: The Commission does not have responsibility for the decisions of the Administration Committee. The hon. Member may wish to write to the Chair of that Committee.

PRIME MINISTER

Childhood and Family Task Force

Jon Trickett: To ask the Prime Minister on how many occasions the Childhood and Family Task Force has met to date; and who attended each such meeting.

David Cameron: The Childhood and Families Task Force was created in June 2010. The role of this group is to identify and prioritise a small number of specific policy proposals that will make the biggest difference to children and families. It is longstanding Government practice not to disclose information relating to ministerial meetings, including the proceedings of the Cabinet and Cabinet committees, as to do so would put at risk the public interest in the full and frank discussion of policy by Ministers.

Departmental Official Hospitality

Ian Austin: To ask the Prime Minister how much was spent on hospitality for events he hosted in  (a) September and  (b) October 2010.

David Cameron: Information on official and charity receptions held at 10 Downing street is published by means of an annual list as soon as it is ready at the end of the financial year.

Economic Policy: EU Action

Douglas Carswell: To ask the Prime Minister if he will make it his policy to ensure that any new EU Treaty does not include the UK in the new legal framework referred to in paragraph 34 of the Report of the Task Force to the European Council on Strengthening Economic Governance in the EU.

David Cameron: I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave on 1 November 2010,  Official Report, column 621.

Human Rights: Burma

Jeremy Corbyn: To ask the Prime Minister whether he has discussed the human rights situation in Burma with the US President.

David Cameron: The British Government are deeply concerned about the human rights situation in Burma. We regularly urge the military regime to respect the human rights of all Burma's people and discuss these issues with a full range of international partners. I look forward to discussing Burma with President Obama. I know that he shares my concern about the situation there. US and UK officials are in regular and close contact in Washington, including with the White House, and on the ground in Burma. The Under-Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, my hon Friend the Member for North East Bedfordshire (Alistair Burt) and Assistant Secretary of State, Kurt Campbell, exchanged views on the subject at a meeting of the UN Secretary General's Group of Friends in September. We will continue to work closely with the US in our efforts to bring positive change to Burma.

INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT

Departmental Location

Michael McCann: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development whether he has assessed the merits of relocating his Department's London headquarters to enable the savings made on its running costs to be allocated to overseas development assistance.

Alan Duncan: The Department for International Development (DFID) has two UK headquarters, located in London and East Kilbride. We are transferring 70 posts from our London office to East Kilbride where we have around 500 staff. We will keep under review the potential for further relocations.

Departmental Official Hospitality

Ian Austin: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development how much his Department spent on hospitality for events hosted by each of its Ministers in  (a) September and  (b) October 2010.

Alan Duncan: Ministers have not hosted any events in September or October 2010.

Euromapping 2010

David Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development which  (a) Ministers and  (b) officials in his Department will be (i) attending and (ii) speaking at the launch of Euromapping 2010 on 10 November; what (A) direct funding, (B) other support and (C) personnel his Department plans to provide to the launch; whether he plans to impose restrictions on the use of this support; if he will place in the Library a copy of material produced for the launch by his Department; what discussions his Department has had with the Department of Health on the launch; and if he will make a statement.

Stephen O'Brien: No Department for International Development (DFID) Minister will be attending or speaking at the launch of the "Euromapping" 2010 Report on 10 November. DFID participation will be undertaken at official level. DFID has not provided any direct funding, other support or personnel for the launch or produced any material for the launch.
	DFID officials have discussed the launch with officials in the Department of Health (DH). No DH Minister is scheduled to attend.

Mental Health

Jo Swinson: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what assessment he has made of the recommendations relevant to his Department's policy responsibilities contained in the Foresight Report on Mental Capital and Wellbeing by the Government Office for Science; if he will ensure that his Department takes steps to promote wellbeing; if he will ensure that his Department's policy development process takes account of psychological research into subjective wellbeing; and if he will make a statement.

Stephen O'Brien: The Foresight Project on Mental Capital and Wellbeing focuses on the mental development and mental wellbeing of people in the UK. The recommendations are therefore not directly relevant to the policy responsibilities of the Department for International Development (DFID), which works overseas. However DFID does support interventions that promote mental capital, including nutrition programmes and programmes to prevent and treat diseases such as malaria that can cause cognitive impairment; and research into how mental health policy and services in developing countries can be improved. DFID also has a number of initiatives to promote the wellbeing of its own staff.

NDPBs: Finance

Conor Burns: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what procedures his Department follows to examine the audited accounts of non-governmental organisations and other organisations which it funds before making payments to such organisations.

Alan Duncan: All civil society organisations that the Department for International Development (DFID) funds are required to have audited annual accounts before any funding is provided.
	From 2011, DFID also plans to carry out due diligence checks for all organisations selected for funding through its centrally managed funds for civil society before any funding is provided. This will include funding through Programme Partnership Arrangements (PPAs), the Civil Society Challenge Fund (CSCF) and the Global Poverty Action Fund (GPAF). The due diligence checks will assess: the integrity of the organisation's status and objectives; financial status, viability and capacity (including analysis of audited accounts); the technical capacity to undertake the proposed activities; robustness of operational and commercial systems, process and procedures including compliance with policies, laws and regulations; procurement capability, efficiency and cost-effectiveness; and procedures for managing environmental risks.
	Audited accounts will continue to be analysed on an annual basis by the fund manager for the duration of the funding period.

Palestinians: Overseas Students

Mark Menzies: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what schemes his Department has in place to provide students from United Nations Relief and Works Agency schools in Gaza and the West Bank an opportunity to study at UK universities.

Alan Duncan: The Department for International Development (DFID) does not have any schemes specifically for students from the west bank and Gaza to study at UK universities. There are, however, two schemes to which Palestinian postgraduate students can apply to study in the UK for further qualifications. The Chevening scholarship scheme funded by the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) provides talented graduates and young professionals from developing countries with the opportunity to develop their leadership skills. The Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS) with the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council fund the Dorothy Hodgkin Postgraduate Awards for outstanding students from the developing world to study for PhDs in high-rated UK research facilities.

St Helena: Airports

Michael McCann: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development pursuant to the written ministerial statement of 22 July 2010,  Official Report, columns 46-47WS, on St Helena (access), which alternative funding options his Department considered prior to taking its decision on the funding of an airport on St Helena; against which criteria the decision to provide full public funding from his Department's budget was chosen; and for what reasons alternative options were not chosen.

Alan Duncan: The Department for International Development (DFID) considered one specific private financing proposal that was received in response to the 2009 public consultation on the St Helena airport. We also commissioned an independent review to determine whether there could be any other public private partnership (PPP) approaches that could be appropriate for financing the project.
	We were looking for a viable solution that would not only make the project more affordable in the short-term, but also deliver the project more efficiently by transferring risk from DFID to the private sector.
	The review concluded that a PPP approach would give limited scope for further risk transfer from the current Design, Build and Operate approach. Although a PPP approach could avoid the need for large up-front Government financing, it would do so on more costly terms, and therefore would be unlikely to deliver further value for money compared to the grant-funded approach.
	We want to provide a permanent, economically viable solution to the problem of access to St Helena. Independent analysis has concluded that, providing certain conditions are met, the best long-term solution from an economic and financial perspective for both the UK Government and St Helena is to construct an airport.

COMMUNITIES AND LOCAL GOVERNMENT

Affordable Housing: Construction

Valerie Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what assessment he has made of the likely effects on children of the implementation of proposed changes to the budget for social housebuilding.

Grant Shapps: In the comprehensive spending review we announced almost £4.5 billion investment in new affordable housing to deliver up to 150,000 affordable homes. However, we are giving housing associations much more flexibility on rents and use of assets, and our aspiration is to deliver even more homes through our investment and reforms. We will publish details of how these proposals will work shortly. A further £2 billion will be provided for the Decent Homes programme which will improve the quality of life of those children living in poor quality social housing.

Affordable Housing: Construction

David Evennett: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how many affordable homes were built in  (a) the London borough of Bexley and  (b) Greater London in each of the last five years.

Andrew Stunell: The information requested is provided in the following table.
	Not all affordable housing is provided through new-build completions as supply can also come from the acquisition and refurbishment of private sector homes. In 2009-10, for example, a total of 280 additional affordable homes were provided in Bexley and 13,570 in London.
	
		
			  New-build additional affordable homes delivered 
			   2005-06  2006-07  2007-08  2008-09  2009-10 
			 Bexley 60 100 250 10 140 
			 London 7,460 10,190 11,090 8,650 9,860 
			  Note:  The data are rounded to the nearest 10 homes.   Source:  Homes and Communities Agency; local authorities.

Affordable Housing: Rural Areas

Helen Grant: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what recent steps he has taken to increase  (a) the availability of and  (b) access to affordable housing in rural areas.

Grant Shapps: In the CSR we announced almost £4.5 billion investment in new affordable housing to deliver up to 150,000 affordable homes. However, we are giving housing associations much more flexibility on rents and use of assets, and our aspiration is to deliver even more homes through our investment and reforms.
	On 18 October we called on local planning authorities in rural areas, with high demand for affordable homes, to consider amending their existing planning policies to make it easier for disused farm buildings to be converted into affordable homes. In addition we will be including in the Localism Bill provisions to give local communities new right-to-build powers, enabling them to deliver small-scale development without the need for a separate planning application. By following a simplified neighbourhood planning process, these powers will enable communities to respond quickly to changing development needs.

Anti-Semitism

David Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what research his Department has  (a) undertaken and  (b) evaluated on the causes of anti-Semitism; when his Department last undertook a review of the evidence relating to (i) the causes of anti-Semitism and (ii) the number of anti-Semitic attacks drawing on (A) UK and (B) international research; and if he will make a statement. [R]

Andrew Stunell: In the last 18 months the Department for Communities and Local Government funded the European Institute for the Study of Contemporary Antisemitism (EISCA) to research and publish a report on Antisemitic Discourse. The Cross-Government working group to tackle anti-Semitism meets on a quarterly basis to discuss and review the evidence emanating from the UK and abroad relating to the causes of anti-Semitism in the UK and regularly reviews the number of anti-Semitic incidents.

Caravan Sites

Guto Bebb: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government whether he plans to consult on whether local authorities should be able to levy fees in respect of their licensing functions relating to the Caravan Sites and Control of Development Act 1960.

Grant Shapps: The Department has no plans at present to consult on this.

Caravan Sites

Guto Bebb: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government whether he plans to consult on proposals to reform the Caravan Sites and Control of Development Act 1960 in respect of the management through licensing of standards in residential mobile home and caravan sites.

Grant Shapps: The Department is looking at a range of measures to help improve the operation and management of those mobile home sites that are poorly managed so as to afford better protection to the residents and the properties they own.

Charity Shops

Simon Danczuk: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government whether local authorities have powers to regulate the  (a) number and  (b) location of charity shops in their areas.

Bob Neill: Charity shops are not differentiated from other retail outlets for planning purposes. Local authorities will determine the location of shops within their area through the local plan process, which may prescribe zones for retail development. A planning application will need to be submitted to the local authority for a new retail use. Any shop could be converted to a charity shop without the need to apply for planning permission. Charity shops deliver a public benefit by raising funds for worthy causes and putting into use buildings/shops that might otherwise be left empty.

Council Housing: Finance

Alison Seabeck: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what estimate he has made of the right-to-buy receipts to be retained by the Exchequer in respect of each local authority where housing stock has been retained in the two years following the introduction of such clawback.

Andrew Stunell: A table showing our records of the amount due from each local authority that still maintained a housing revenue account on 1 April 2004, to the Exchequer in respect of housing capital receipts they received in the financial years 2004-05 and 2005-06- the first two years after capital pooling was introduced- has been placed in the Library of the House. The majority of these receipts would have been from right-to-buy transactions.
	The table indicates whether the local authority was debt-free on 31 March 2004, since housing receipts received from those authorities remain with the Secretary of State, while capital receipts from with-debt authorities go direct to the Exchequer and do not directly fund this Department's spending plans.

Departmental Redundancy

Angela Eagle: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government 
	(1)  how much funding to meet staff redundancy costs was identified in his Department's settlement letter in respect of the comprehensive spending review;
	(2)  what estimate he has made of the number of redundancies arising from the spending reductions proposed in the comprehensive spending review in respect of  (a) his Department,  (b) its non-departmental public bodies and  (c) other public bodies which are dependent on his Department for funding;
	(3)  what estimate he has made of the cost to his Department of staff redundancy in each of the next four years.

Greg Clark: The Department for Communities and Local Government spending review settlement will require a 33% reduction in administrative expenditure across the core Department and its arm's length bodies by 2014-15. My Department is also managing the closure of the Government office network with effect from 31 March 2011.
	All pressures on Departments' budgets were taken into account as part of the spending review and settlements were allocated accordingly. The full costs of redundancies will be met from within the Department for Communities and Local Government's spending review resource DEL- departmental expenditure-limit settlement.
	Determining optimal work force reforms in order to live within the Department for Communities and Local Government's spending review resource DEL settlement will be an ongoing process. Detailed decisions regarding the number of redundancies that may be required have yet to be finalised.

EADS: Lobbying

Nick de Bois: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government pursuant to the oral evidence taken by the Communities and Local Government Committee on 13 September 2010, HC 453-i, Q109 and Q110, what assessment he has made of the scale of lobbying activity of his Department by EADS; and which public affairs companies have undertaken such lobbying in respect of his Department since his appointment.

Bob Neill: EADS employs a number of in-house lobbyists. We are aware that EADS has supplemented its resource in this area in recent months by taking on former senior personnel from the fire and rescue sector to lobby for changes to the Government's approach to FiReControl and its relationship with EADS. These efforts include both formal meetings and events, and informal contacts. We are also aware that Good Relations of the Bell Pottinger Group are also undertaking lobbying on behalf of EADS.
	I have myself been presented with speculative ideas from EADS that are not in the FiReControl project agreement. However, at the time I made it absolutely clear to EADS that my sole focus for the project was on them delivering the system specified in the project agreement to time, to cost and to quality. To this end, we activated a key milestone in their contract to deliver the main IT system in three control centres by mid-2011. I recommended to EADS that this should be its sole focus on the project too, rather than spending time and money on lobbying.
	The FiReControl project, initiated by the last Government, is over-budget and behind schedule. As with all major Government projects it is being reviewed to ensure value for money for the taxpayer. We have been clear that this Government are not prepared to pour any more taxpayers' money into funding EADS's further delays, nor can EADS cut any corners in the quality of the system it delivers. This Government are committed to ensuring value for money for the taxpayer, improving resilience and stopping the forced regionalisation of the fire service.

Fibre Optic Cables: Taxation

Rehman Chishti: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what tax is levied on  (a) BT and  (b) other companies in respect of the laying of fibre optic cables.

Bob Neill: BT and other telecom companies are liable for non-domestic rates in respect of any rateable property, including fibre optic cable networks, which they occupy or, if the property is empty, own.

Fire Services: Emergency Calls

Stephen Mosley: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government in respect of how many incidents involving Chinese lanterns fire crews were called out in each of the last five years.

Bob Neill: This information is not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost. Data are recorded only for broader decorations categories and these available data are shown in the table.
	Under the previous system of reporting fires, which ended in March 2009, decorations and Christmas trees were a single category (page 48 of the "Fire Data Report Code List (version 5)").
	Since 1 April 2009, fire incidents have been recorded using the new Incident Recording System (IRS) in which decorations/cards, and Christmas trees are separate categories (page 75 of "Incident Recording System Questions and Lists (version 1.1)").
	Copies of both documents are available in the Library of the House.
	
		
			  Accidental dwelling fires where decorations (includes Christmas trees) where the item first ignited, England, 2005 to 2009-10( 1) 
			  England  2005  2006  2007  2008  April 2009-March 2010( 1) 
			 Decorations including Christmas trees 91 109 127 78 65 
			 Decorations/cards - - - - 47 
			 Christmas trees - - - - 18 
			 (1 )Provisional

Fire Services: Finance

Mark Pritchard: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government if he will publish his proposed reductions in fire authority budgets in cash terms.

Bob Neill: Fire and Rescue Authorities set their own budgets. The Department does not publish information on proposed reductions to budgets but publishes data collected from all local authorities on budget estimates for England in statistical releases for local authority revenue expenditure and financing, which are reported in cash terms. The latest revenue budget estimates for 2010-11 are published in the "Local Authority Revenue Expenditure and Financing England 2010-11 Budget" which is available on the Department for Communities and Local Government website at:
	http://www.communities.gov.uk/publications/corporate/statistics/revenue201011budget

Fire Services: North East

Alex Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what assessment he has made of the work of Cleveland Fire Authority on local fire control arrangements.

Bob Neill: Under section 7 of the Fire and Rescue Services Act 2004, all fire and rescue authorities have a statutory duty to make arrangements for dealing with calls for help and for mobilising resources. Decisions about control rooms are a matter for individual fire and rescue authorities.

Fire Services: North East

Tom Blenkinsop: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government whether his Department undertook a risk assessment in relation to industrial accidents when formulating its proposals for a reduction in the budget of Cleveland Fire Authority.

Bob Neill: The Department for Communities and Local Government is responsible for distributing central Government funding across the fire and rescue service in England. However individual fire and rescue authority budgets are made up of a number of elements in addition to central Government funding and all fire and rescue authority budgets are set by the individual authority, not by Government.
	I also refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave him on 25 October 2010,  Official Report, columns 88-89W, outlining how fire and rescue authorities can make savings without impacting on the quality or breadth of services offered to their communities.

Fire Services: Rural Areas

Mark Pritchard: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government if he will take account of  (a) emergency response times for rural fire authorities and  (b) the geographic spread of populations when making decisions on fire authority budgets.

Bob Neill: The Department for Communities and Local Government is responsible for distributing central Government funding across the fire and rescue service in England. However individual fire and rescue authority budgets are made up of a number of elements in addition to central Government funding and all fire and rescue authority budgets are set by the individual authority, not by Government.

Housing: Energy

Cathy Jamieson: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what estimate he has made of the number of homes in England which had residual current devices in place in the latest period for which figures are available.

Andrew Stunell: DCLG's "English Housing Survey-Housing Stock Report 2008", published in October 2010, estimates that 13,244,000 dwellings in England (59% of all dwellings) had residual current devices. By sector the percentages with residual current devices were:
	
		
			   Percentage 
			 Owner occupied 56 
			 Private rented 57 
			 Local authority 70 
			 Housing association 75 
		
	
	The 2008 English Housing Survey can be viewed at:
	www.communities.gov.uk/documents/statistics/pdf/1750754.pdf

Housing: Sales

Rehman Chishti: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government whether he has made a recent estimate of the average time taken to complete a purchase on a residential property.

Andrew Stunell: No such estimate has been made, and central Government do not collect or hold data on time taken to complete a purchase on a residential property.

Local Development Frameworks

Zac Goldsmith: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what timetable he has set for his review of the local development framework system.

Bob Neill: The Government are committed to reforming the planning system as set out in Open Source Planning. Proposals to change processes for producing local development frameworks will be contained in the Localism Bill which we hope to publish shortly.

Local Government Finance

Alison Seabeck: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government from which local authorities he has received representations on the treatment by the Homes and Communities Agency of local authority borrowing requests in its determination of grant funding.

Andrew Stunell: The Department received representations from Southwark council regarding the treatment of local authority borrowing in the determination of grant funding for the local authority new build programme.

Local Government Finance

Simon Kirby: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government whether he plans to make a single announcement in respect of homelessness grant funding allocations to local authorities for all years of the spending review period; and if he will make a statement.

Grant Shapps: Over £400 million over the spending review period will be made available to local authorities and the voluntary sector through homelessness grant to tackle homelessness. Detailed allocations for local authorities will be published in December alongside the provisional local government settlement for 2011-12.
	This Government are committed to tackling and preventing homelessness. I have already established a new cross-Government working group on homelessness bringing together Ministers from eight Government Departments to address the complex causes of homelessness and rough sleeping.

Ordnance Survey

Mike Freer: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government whether he plans to sell Ordnance Survey in  (a) part and  (b) whole.

Bob Neill: Ordnance Survey is Great Britain's national mapping agency and its data underpin the delivery of many vital public services. Ministers are not currently considering changes to its ownership.

Public Footpaths: Maps

Andrew Gwynne: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government whether members of the public will be able to  (a) inspect and  (b) copy definitive footpath maps held by local authorities under the terms of the new Public Sector Mapping Agreement.

Bob Neill: The Public Sector Mapping Agreement covers the use of Ordnance Survey mapping information by public sector bodies in England and Wales. Members of the public will continue to be able to inspect definitive footpath maps held by local authorities, where these maps are based on Ordnance Survey data, under the terms of the new Public Sector Mapping Agreement.
	Local authorities may produce copies of the definitive map where doing so is required to facilitate a surveying authority's duty to allow inspection of the definitive map, as set out in Section 57 of the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981.
	Members of the public will be able to take printed hard copies of definitive maps held by local authorities and based on Ordnance Survey data for personal and private use. Copying will be subject to the obligations on local authorities within the PSMA relating to sublicensing and commercial distribution, and subject to each print carrying an appropriate statement concerning the scope of permitted use. The wording of this statement will be provided to local authorities as part of the process of implementing the Public Sector Mapping Agreement.

Recreation Spaces

Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what recent steps he has taken to promote the creation of community recreational spaces; and if he will make a statement.

Andrew Stunell: The Department's Structural Reform Plan includes the coalition Government's commitment to bringing forward a new designation to protect green areas of particular importance to local communities.
	Government's key role in building the big society is about bringing power back to local level. We are therefore funding the Asset Transfer Unit to develop practical guidance for community groups wishing to take on the management of their local public space, which could be used for recreational purposes. We anticipate this guidance will be published later in November. We are also including proposals in the forthcoming Localism Bill, which will give communities greater opportunities to identify and bid for assets, including recreational spaces that are important to them, and through the new neighbourhood plans system, help preserve open spaces of local significance.
	The Department continues to support community use of urban green space, which involves a diverse range of recreational activities. The Green Flag Award scheme, currently funded by this Department, demonstrates some good uses of community recreational space. This year's winners were announced on 18 July and are featured on the scheme's website.

Repossession Orders: West Midlands

Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what recent steps he has taken to reduce the number of home repossessions in  (a) Coventry and  (b) the west midlands.

Andrew Stunell: The coalition Government have acted decisively to tackle the record deficit and avoid the need for rapid increases in interest rates. There are a range of measures in place to help people struggling to pay their mortgage. These include access to free advice, support for mortgage interest (paid by the Department for Work and Pensions to unemployed homeowners), Homeowners Mortgage Support, and the Mortgage Rescue Scheme which enables the most vulnerable homeowners at risk of repossession to remain in their homes. These provisions are nationwide and not particular to Coventry or the west midlands. In July 2010, the Minister for Housing and Local Government announced changes to the Mortgage Rescue Scheme to secure better value for money, with a reduction in the grant rate paid to housing associations and tighter caps on property price and repair costs for new applications.

Right to Buy Scheme

Adrian Sanders: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how many  (a) social and  (b) local authority-owned homes were sold under the right-to-buy scheme in each of the last four years; and how many such sales he expects to occur in each of the next four years.

Andrew Stunell: Information on the number of local authority and registered provider right-to-buy housing sales in England can be found in Table 2 of "Social Housing Sales to Sitting Tenants, England 2009-10":
	http://www.communities.gov.uk/documents/statistics/doc/17207661.doc
	The level of future sales under the right to buy scheme will be determined by the number of successful applications received from tenants.

Social Rented Housing

Karen Buck: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what estimate he has made of the average rent in cash terms that would constitute 80 per cent. of market rents in each local authority area.

Grant Shapps: We will publish more detail on the implementation of new 'affordable rent' tenure shortly.

Social Rented Housing: Evictions

Bob Russell: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how many tenants of  (a) council houses and  (b) housing association properties were evicted on the grounds of rent arrears in each of the last three years for which figures are available.

Andrew Stunell: Information on tenants of council housing is not available.
	Information on evictions from housing association housing is collected in terms of the number of households (rather than tenants). Information is collected by the Tenant Services Authority on their annual Regulatory and Statistical Return survey. Data are from housing associations that completed the long version of the Regulatory and Statistical Return survey and made a valid return, which in general includes those housing associations that own or manage 1,000 or more dwellings and/or bed spaces, including shared ownership dwellings. An eviction is a tenancy brought to an end by a court order and the execution of a bailiffs' warrant. Eviction does not include abandonment, even where a property is abandoned in the period between a court order being granted and a warrant being obtained or executed. The following table shows figures for the last three years:
	
		
			  Housing association evictions by reason, 2007-08 to 2009-10 
			Reason for eviction 
			   Total evictions  Rent arrears  Antisocial behaviour (ASB)  Both rent arrears and ASB  Other 
			 2007-08 11,354 8,391 1,626 455 882 
			 2008-09 11,230 8,456 1,518 250 1,006 
			 2009-10 9,905 7,535 1,309 214 847 
			  Note: Information from housing associations are from those that completed the long version of the RSR and made a valid return, which in general includes those housing associations that own or manage 1,000 or more dwellings and/or bed spaces, including shared ownership dwellings.  Source: Regulatory and Statistical Return (RSR) survey 2010 (collected by the Tenant Services Authority) 
		
	
	The Ministry of Justice collect data on the number of evictions carried out by county court bailiffs for social landlords. An eviction is where a county court bailiff will have successfully been able to gain possession of a property following an order given by a judge. Eviction does not include abandonment, even where a property is abandoned in the period between a court order being granted and a warrant being obtained or executed. The reasons for eviction are not collected. The following table shows figures for the last three years:
	
		
			  County courts (enforcement work). Number of evictions( 1 ) of social landlord properties by county court bailiffs( 2)  in England( 3) , 2006-07 to 2008-09 
			  Financial year  Social landlord evictions (number) 
			 2006-07 20,881 
			 2007-08 19,406 
			 2008-09 19,055 
			 (1) The vast majority of warrant of eviction outcomes are eviction, the warrant being suspended by an order made by the court and the warrant being withdrawn. (2) Includes warrants issued in the County Court Bulk Centre and via Possession Claim Online. (3) Includes only warrants that have been executed in a county court that are in England.  Source: HMCS CaseMan system and Possession Claim Online

Social Rented Housing: Evictions

Bob Russell: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what estimate he has made of the legal costs incurred by  (a) local authorities and  (b) housing associations for eviction proceedings against tenants who were in rent arrears in each of the last three years for which figures are available.

Andrew Stunell: The information requested is not collected centrally.

Squatting

David Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government if he will bring forward legislative proposals to require local authorities to report to his Department annually on the number of properties in their locality that are occupied by squatters; what recent discussions  (a) Ministers and  (b) officials in his Department have had with local authorities on squatters; and if he will make a statement.

Andrew Stunell: We have no plans to introduce a requirement for local authorities to report the number of properties occupied by squatters. No discussions have taken place with local authorities. However, we will be taking steps to help get empty homes back into productive and lawful use, reducing the scope for squatting. We are also providing more guidance to home owners on their legal rights against illegal squatting on their property.

Squatting

David Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what guidance his Department has issued to local authorities on managing squatters in each of the last three years; what guidance his Department plans to issue in the next year; and if he will make a statement.

Grant Shapps: The Department has not issued any guidance to local authorities on managing squatters but has today made available on the DCLG website advice to home owners affected by squatters at:
	www.communities.gov.uk/publications/housing/advicesquatters

Temporary Accommodation

Eilidh Whiteford: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what recent estimate he has made of the cost to each local authority of provision of bed-and-breakfast accommodation for homeless  (a) individuals and  (b) families.

Grant Shapps: The latest available local authority revenue outturn estimates are published at:
	http://www.communities.gov.uk/publications/corporate/statistics/revenue200809finaloutturn
	I have today placed in the Library of the House a table giving details of the cost of provision of bed-and-breakfast accommodation by each local authority in England in 2008-09.
	A breakdown of costs by household type is not held centrally. Quarterly homelessness statistics, including number of households in bed-and-breakfast accommodation by local authority, are published by the Department on the DCLG website at:
	http://www.communities.gov.uk/housing/housingresearch/housingstatistics/housingstatisticsby/homelessnessstatistics/publicationshomelessness/
	Under homelessness legislation that applies to England, bed-and-breakfast accommodation cannot be used by a local housing authority to discharge a duty to secure accommodation for applicants who are pregnant, or whose household includes a pregnant woman or a dependant child, unless no other accommodation is available for their occupation, and then for no more than six weeks in aggregate.

CULTURE MEDIA AND SPORT

Arts: Finance

Stephen Barclay: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport 
	(1)  how much Arts Council England has spent on projects in North East Cambridgeshire constituency in each of the last three years;
	(2)  what estimate he has made of the Arts Council funding allocated per head in  (a) the highest receiving region,  (b) the lowest receiving region and  (c) in North East Cambridgeshire constituency in (i) 2009-10 and (ii) 2010-11.

Edward Vaizey: The Department does not collate this information centrally.
	Accordingly I have asked the chief executive of Arts Council England to respond to the hon. Member for North East Cambridgeshire directly.
	A copy of the responses will be placed in the Library of both Houses.

BBC: Commonwealth Games 2014

Ian Murray: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport what discussions he has had with  (a) the Scottish Executive,  (b) Glasgow city council and  (c) Commonwealth Games Scotland about the financial effects of the BBC's decision to withdraw as host broadcaster of the 2014 Commonwealth Games; and if he will make a statement.

Edward Vaizey: The Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport has not had any discussions with the Scottish Government, Glasgow city council or Commonwealth Games Scotland on this matter.

BBC: Religion

Laurence Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport what recent discussions he has had with the BBC Trust on the BBC's Charter obligations in respect of reporting on religious affairs; and if he will make a statement.

Edward Vaizey: The Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport has not had any discussions with the BBC Trust on this matter.

Broadband

Julian Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport what recent discussions his Department has had on equivalence in access to broadband services.

Edward Vaizey: I have been asked to reply 
	in my capacity as a Minister in the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills.
	This Department has regular discussions with telecoms providers and Ofcom on a wide range of issues aimed at ensuring that the UK has an open and competitive market for broadband services. BT's undertakings require them to offer equal access and they formed an "Equality of Access Board" on 1 November 2005 which adjudicates on any issues that might be raised in this connection by competitive providers.

Departmental Redundancy

Philip Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport how many staff of  (a) his Department and  (b) its agencies have been offered enhanced early retirement packages in each of the last three years.

John Penrose: The total number of staff who were offered early retirement packages and left the Department is shown in the following table.
	
		
			  Financial year  Total number of staff 
			 2007-08 5 
			 2008-09 2 
			 2009-10 4 
		
	
	The Department does not collate this information for our agency, the Royal Parks.
	Accordingly, I have asked the chief executive of the Royal Parks to respond to the hon. Member for Shipley directly.
	A copy of the response will be placed in the Libraries of both Houses.

Horse Racing: Betting

Conor Burns: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport what assessment he has made of the effect on the revenue received from the Horserace Betting Levy of bookmakers moving all or part of their operations offshore.

Anne-Marie Morris: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport 
	(1)  whether his Department plans to reform the Horserace Betting Levy to take account of the relocation of British bookmakers that have moved all or part of their operation overseas;
	(2)  whether his Department has made an assessment of the level of funding that would be raised each year in circumstances in which offshore bookmakers that place bets on British horseracing contributed to the Horserace Betting Levy.

John Penrose: I have received advice from the Horserace Betting Levy Board about securing fair contributions from overseas operators towards the Horserace Betting Levy.
	I am currently considering this advice and expect to make a further announcement in due course.

Horse Racing: Betting

Conor Burns: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport what assessment he has made of the potential effect on the revenue received from the Horserace Betting Levy of the threshold rules that exempt more than 60 per cent. of betting shops from paying the full rate of levy.

John Penrose: I have met representatives of the Horserace Betting Levy Board, racing and bookmaking industries, to discuss all the issues with the levy, and seek suggestions about how the levy might be improved or, if possible, suitably replaced.
	No decisions have been taken yet and I will continue to discuss the options to ensure that funding for racing is fair, and collected from as broad a base as possible.

Horserace Totalisator Board

Philip Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport whether he expects a proportion of the proceeds from the sale of the Tote to be used to support the horseracing industry; and if he will make a statement.

John Penrose: Over the coming months, the Government will look to resolve the future of the Tote in a way that secures value for the taxpayer while recognising the support that the Tote currently provides the racing industry. A decision on whether and how to use the value which is realised cannot be made until the precise structure of a final deal has been agreed.

Music: Finance

Mike Weatherley: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport what estimate he has made of the monetary value of overseas earnings attributable to the music industry in  (a) 2007,  (b) 2008 and  (c) 2009; and what proportion of GDP this represented in each such year.

John Penrose: Information is not collected by the Government on the monetary value of overseas earnings attributable to the music industry, but the UK remains the third largest market in the world for sales of music behind USA and Japan, and sales in the UK amounted to 10.0% of all music sold globally in 2008.
	The BPI estimates that British artists account for as much as 15% of the global music market. In 2009, UK artists accounted for 10% of artist albums sold in the US, and 13.4% in Canada. They also fared well in Germany and France (the fourth and fifth biggest markets in the world), accounting respectively for 22.2% and 15.9% of artist album sales in 2008.
	In 2006, the Creative and Cultural Skills Council reported that the music industry contributed £6 billion to the UK economy.

Olympic Games 2012: Children

Stephen Phillips: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport what steps he is taking to ensure that schoolchildren in areas outside London have the opportunity fully to participate in preparations for the London 2012 Olympics.

Hugh Robertson: The London Organising Committee of the Olympic and Paralympic Games (LOCOG) official London 2012 education programme Get Set is the primary way for schools, colleges and other learning institutions, including Playing for Success Centres across the UK, to play their part in the London 2012 Games. Currently 15,166 schools and colleges are registered with Get Set, involving 2 million students. 13,281 are outside of London.
	In partnership with the Department for Education, the Department are creating an Olympic and Paralympic style school sport competition, allowing children in schools across the country to experience the incredible inspiration of the games.
	There are a number of initiatives in this area that use the power of the games to inspire young people across the country. The London 2012 Inspire Programme provides a way for community projects and events genuinely inspired by the games to be awarded the 'Inspire Mark', a non-commercial version of the London 2012 brand. Many of these projects involve young people across sport, culture, education and volunteering. 2,444 events have been held as part of London 2012 Open Weekend in communities across the UK in 2008, 2009 and most recently July 2010 to mark 2 Years To Go, with many young people taking part in the run-up to the games. 1,000 Young Ambassadors have been recruited together with the Youth Sports Trust to promote 2012 and sport in schools to their peers. LOCOG is also responsible for the volunteering programme at the games, and will launch a Young Games Maker programme especially for under 18s in summer 2011.

Departmental Redundancy

Angela Eagle: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport what estimate he has made of the number of redundancies arising from the spending reductions proposed in the comprehensive spending review in respect of  (a) his Department,  (b) its non-departmental public bodies and  (c) other public bodies which are dependent on his Department for funding.

Jeremy Hunt: In response to the spending review settlement the Department for Culture, Media and Sport has committed to a reduction of its administration costs by 50% over the period of the spending review, as set out in my published ministerial written statement, 21 October 2010,  Official Report, columns 59-70WS. As yet, no estimated number of redundancies has been settled on. Some reductions to the Department's administration costs will come through reducing accommodation and other non-pay costs, and the Department hopes to achieve a substantial proportion of reductions to staff costs through normal staff turnover.
	The Department has not made an estimate of the number of redundancies within its non-departmental public bodies or other public bodies which are dependent on departmental funding. Any such decisions will need to be taken by the bodies themselves in the light of their spending review settlement.

S4C: Wales

Guto Bebb: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport if he will take steps to ensure that S4C retains full programming independence following the implementation of a system for new independent funding.

Edward Vaizey: The Government are committed to the future of S4C as an independent service, retaining its editorial independence. The details of how S4C's independence will be safeguarded in its partnership with the BBC Trust are currently being developed.

S4C: Wales

Guto Bebb: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport pursuant to the contribution of the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State of 20 October 2010,  Official Report, columns 319-22WH, what steps he plans to take to ensure that dedicated funding for S4C is retained under the new funding model.

Edward Vaizey: The future funding of S4C was set out by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport, in his letter of 20 October to the Chair of the Welsh Authority.
	From 2013-14, the cost of funding S4C will be met from a combination of continued Exchequer funding, advertising revenue and the television licence fee.
	The funding figures are as follows.
	
		
			  £ million 
			   Total funding  From DCMS  From BBC 
			 2011-12 90 90 0 
			 2012-13 83 83 0 
			 2013-14 83 6.7 76.3 
			 2014-15 83 7 76 
		
	
	This means that S4C funding is secure for the next four years and will enable the channel to structure itself for the modern broadcasting environment.
	This letter can be found using the link:
	http://www.culture.gov.uk/images/publications/Jones_SC4.pdf

EDUCATION

Academies

Rehman Chishti: To ask the Secretary of State for Education when he expects Rainham Mark Grammar School to be able to apply for academy status.

Nick Gibb: holding answer 21 October 2010
	We want the benefits which academy status brings to be available to many more schools. Currently only those schools judged as outstanding by Ofsted can apply to convert to become academies, and fifty-seven schools have opened as academies via this route since 1 September 2010. Other schools can register an interest in converting through the Department for Education's website at
	http://www.education.gov.uk/schools/leadership/typesofschools/academies/register
	and I would encourage Rainham Mark Grammar School to register its interest, if it has not already done so. An announcement will be made shortly about when the next group of schools will be invited to apply.

Academies: Music

Jo Johnson: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what assessment he has made of the effects of implementation of the Academies Act 2010 on core funding for  (a) Bromley Music Trust and  (b) other independent music services funded through top-slicing of local authority education budgets.

Nick Gibb: No decisions about central funding for music education have been made in respect of Bromley or any other local authority. The overall level of funding for music education will be decided after the Spending Review settlement. On 24 September the Secretary of State announced that he had asked Darren Henley to carry out a review of music education and to report his conclusions towards the end of this year.

Children: Carers

Annette Brooke: To ask the Secretary of State for Education whether his Department's proposed regulations and guidance in respect of the duty to provide breaks from caring under section 25 of the Children and Young Person's Act will include a requirement for local authorities to a  (a) conduct a multi-agency needs assessment and  (b) provide evidence that they are meeting the terms of the full service offer on an annual basis.

Sarah Teather: holding answer 13 October 2010
	It had previously been intended that breaks for carers of disabled children would be assessed and published as part of the Children and Young People's Plan arrangements. The proposed regulations in respect of the duty to provide breaks from caring for carers of disabled children are currently being redrafted to take into account changes to the Children and Young People's Plan.

Contact Orders

Stephen Mosley: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what progress the Children and Families Task Force has made towards providing greater access rights to non-resident parents and grandparents when couples separate.

Tim Loughton: The provision of greater access rights to non-resident parents and grandparents when couples separate will not be examined by the Children and Families Task Force. The question of child access rights following family separation is currently being considered by the Family Justice Review. The Review panel is due to produce an interim report in March 2011, which will be the subject of a public consultation. A final report is due to be published in autumn 2011.

Departmental Press: Subscriptions

Mike Freer: To ask the Secretary of State for Education how much his Department and its predecessors spent on newspapers, periodicals and trade profession magazines in each year since 1997.

Tim Loughton: The Department, as a whole, spent £163,329 on journals between 2002 and 2004, which is outlined in Table A. Since 2004, the Department's Knowledge Management Team has spent a total of £346,331 on newspapers, periodicals and trade profession magazines, which is outlined in Table B. Individual teams in the Department have the option to subscribe to periodicals if they wish; however, to extract this information would involve disproportionate cost, as would going back before 2002.
	
		
			  Table A 
			   Journals (£) 
			 2002-03 84,639 
			 2003-04 78,690 
			 Total 163,329 
		
	
	
		
			  Table B 
			  £ 
			   Journals  Newspapers  Total spend 
			 2004-05 52,797 12,970 65,766 
			 2005-06 65,960 11,230 77,190 
			 2006-07 54,967 6,476 61,443 
			 2007-08 28,391 8,775 37,166 
			 2008-09 54,441 8,084 62,525 
			 2009-10 36,709 5,532 42,241 
			 Total 293,265 53,066 346,331

Departmental Responsibilities

Caroline Lucas: To ask the Secretary of State for Education whether his Department's Children's Rights and Participation team has provided briefings to Ministers or officials in  (a) his Department,  (b) the Department of Health,  (c) the Ministry of Justice and  (d) the Home Department on the Government's obligations under the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child since 12 May 2010.

Sarah Teather: The Government are committed to the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC). Since May 2010, the Children's Rights and Participation team has provided briefings to Ministers in the Department for Education on the Government's obligations under the UNCRC, and has regular dialogue with officials across Whitehall Departments including the Department of Health, Ministry of Justice and the Home Office.

Departmental Written Questions

Kevin Brennan: To ask the Secretary of State for Education how many and what percentage of named day written parliamentary questions tabled to his Department in the present Session for answer on or before 2 November 2010 had not received a substantive answer by 3 November 2010.

Tim Loughton: There were 70 unanswered named day PQs tabled on or before 2 November that were due for reply on or before 3 November. This is 27% of all named day PQs received during this session.

Environment Protection: Curriculum

Nicholas Dakin: To ask the Secretary of State for Education how he plans to ensure children in  (a) academies,  (b) free schools and  (c) maintained schools have a broad and balanced education, including environmental education, under his plans for the future of the school curriculum.

Nick Gibb: Academies are not required to follow the national curriculum because we believe that having flexibility in their curriculum design, within a broad and balanced context, is a core freedom which is at the heart of the academies programme. Free schools will have the same legal requirements as academies and will enjoy the same freedoms, including the ability to determine their own curriculum.
	The planned review of the national curriculum, which will particularly impact on maintained schools, is intended to restore it to a core entitlement based on subject knowledge and informed by international best practice. More details about our plans for the review will be announced later in the year.

Foster Care

Kerry McCarthy: To ask the Secretary of State for Education when he plans to publish his response to the consultation on family and friends care guidance.

Tim Loughton: The intention is to publish the response to the consultation on Family and Friends guidance by the end of the calendar year 2010.

Free School Meals: Gateshead

Ian Mearns: To ask the Secretary of State for Education how many pupils in Gateshead constituency are in receipt of free school meals in  (a) primary,  (b) secondary and  (c) special schools.

Nick Gibb: Information on free school meal eligibility is shown in the table. This includes full-time pupils aged 0 to 15 and part-time pupils aged five to 15.
	Information on the take up of free school meals has not been provided because it is not possible to exclude pupils who are below or over compulsory school age and far fewer of these claim for and take free school meals.
	
		
			  Maintained primary( 1) , state-funded secondary( 1,2)  and special( 3)  schools: School meal arrangements( 4)  As at January 2010 in Gateshead parliamentary constituency and England 
			   Gateshead parliamentary constituency  England 
			   Number on roll( 5)  Number of pupils known to be eligible for free school meals( 4)  Percentage known to be eligible for free school meals  Number on roll( 5)  Number of pupils known to be eligible for free school meals( 4)  Percentage known to be eligible for free school meals 
			 Maintained primary(1) 5,890 1,790 30.3 3,831.470 709,370 18.5 
			 State-funded secondary(2) 3,660 830 22.7 2,864.350 441,140 15.4 
			 Special schools(3) 280 120 44.9 78,330 27,330 34.9 
			 (1) Includes middle schools as deemed, (2) Includes city technology colleges and academies. (3) Includes maintained and non-maintained special schools. Excludes general hospital schools. (4) Pupils eligible for free school meals who have full-time attendance and are aged 15 or under, or pupils who have part-time attendance and are aged between five and 15. (5) Includes pupils who have full-time attendance and are aged 15 or under, or pupils who have part-time attendance and are aged between five and 15.  Note: Figures have been rounded to the nearest 10. Source:  School Census

Free Schools

David Crausby: To ask the Secretary of State for Education how many applications to establish a free school he has received.

Nick Gibb: We have received over 100 free schools applications, 16 of which have been approved to progress to the business case and plan stage. Details of the approved proposals can be found on the Department's website at:
	http://www.education.gov.uk/news/news/wms-freeschoolsproposals

Free Schools

Paul Uppal: To ask the Secretary of State for Education how many applications to establish free schools his Department has received from groups in the West Midlands.

Nick Gibb: To date the Department has received 16 proposals to set up free schools from groups in the West Midlands.

Free Schools: Disability

David Crausby: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what recent representations he has received on the adequacy of resources to be provided for disabled children in proposed free schools.

Nick Gibb: No representations have been received specifically on this matter. Free schools will be required to comply with the Equality Act 2010 which includes a prohibition on disability discrimination. As such, free schools will be required to make reasonable adjustments to cater for the needs of children with disabilities and will not be able to discriminate against disabled pupils.
	A number of proposals have been received to set up free schools either wholly or partly catering for children with special educational needs and disabilities.

GCSE: GCE A-level

Julian Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what assessment his Department has made of the merits of  (a) modular and  (b) terminal examinations at (i) GCSE and (ii) A-level.

Nick Gibb: The Government are determined to restore GCSEs and A levels to their proper place as valued and robust qualifications, which measure up against the most rigorous in the world, and to ensure that A levels prepare students properly for higher education. We will carefully assess the impact of the new A levels introduced in 2008, and the modular GCSEs introduced in 2009, on standards and on the continuing fitness for purpose of these vital examinations. Many universities think that students should have more time to study subjects in depth to prepare them for higher education, and we will establish new arrangements for developing GCSEs and A levels which give universities and learned societies a much stronger say in their design. We will announce our detailed proposals later in the year.

Home Education

Harriett Baldwin: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what his policy is on home education; and if he will make a statement.

Nick Gibb: The Government respect the right of parents to educate their children at home. We recognise that most home educating parents do a very good job, some of them picking up the pieces where their children have had problems at school.
	We have not yet been able to consider in detail the policy for home education. We will consider whether changes need to be made to the existing arrangements, given the strong views expressed by both home educators and local authorities.

Languages: Education

Rehman Chishti: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what his policy is on the compulsory teaching of a modern foreign language.

Nick Gibb: The Government believe that learning a language is important to the social and economic future of the country and to help children understand the world in which they live. We will be announcing more details about a review of the National Curriculum later this year. This review will consider the status of languages at both primary and secondary level. We plan to consult a wide range of academics, teachers and other interested parties to ensure that our core curriculum can compare with those of the highest performing countries in the world.
	On 6 September, in a speech at Westminster Academy, the Secretary of State announced an English Baccalaureat, to include a modern or ancient language as one of the core academic subjects that children should learn at GCSE level, along with English, maths, science and a humanity subject. Detailed proposals will be announced later this year.

Literacy: Primary Education

Charlotte Leslie: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what assessment he has made of the  (a) effectiveness in increasing levels of literacy and  (b) long-term benefits to the economy of the Every Child a Reader scheme.

Nick Gibb: The evidence available suggests the Every Child a Reader (ECaR) programme has a positive effect on attainment at key stages 1 and 2. However, the programme is currently undergoing a robust independent evaluation, to report late in 2010 or early in 2011, which will give a substantive view of its impact. The report will, of course, be made available publicly.
	As a Government, we are very aware of the benefits of achieving a good standard in literacy at a young age and are therefore strongly committed to improving attainment levels in literacy and ensuring that no child falls behind. To support this aim, we will be strengthening the use of systematic synthetic phonics in teaching children to read. This will be backed up by a new age six reading test.

Offences against Children: Haringey

Charlotte Leslie: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what cost has been incurred by  (a) Ofsted and (b) his Department on legal proceedings related to Sharon Shoesmith.

Tim Loughton: I understand from Her Majesty's Chief Inspector that Ofsted has incurred costs of £331,059 including payments to the Treasury Solicitor, counsel's fees and VAT. Ofsted has incurred other in-house staffing costs which are not readily identifiable.
	The Department has so far incurred costs of £92,753.09 (including VAT) in respect of representation in the legal proceedings by the Treasury Solicitor, plus a further £57,425.25 (including VAT) in respect of Counsel. The Department has incurred other costs which are not readily identifiable, resulting from the involvement of in-house lawyers and policy officials.
	In a ruling published on 1 September 2010, the judge indicated that he proposed to order Ms Shoesmith to pay £25,000 (including VAT) towards the Secretary of State's costs. He also indicated that he would grant Ms Shoesmith permission to appeal his judgment. The position on costs may change depending on the outcome of any appeal.

Ofsted: Complaints

Adam Holloway: To ask the Secretary of State for Education how many complaints Ofsted received through its complaints procedure in the latest year for which figures are available; how many such complaints were  (a) at Stage 1,  (b) at Stage 2 and  (c) referred to the Independent Complaints Adjudication Service for Ofsted; and to how many such complaints Ofsted responded within (i) 25 working days at Stage 1 and (ii) 20 working days at Stage 2.

Nick Gibb: This is a matter for Ofsted. HM Chief Inspector, Christine Gilbert, has written to my hon. Friend and a copy of her reply will be placed in the Libraries.
	 Letter from Christine Gilbert, dated 13 October 2010:
	Your recent parliamentary question has been passed to me, as Her Majesty's Chief Inspector, for a response.
	In order to provide the most up-to-date information, I have interpreted your request for the figures in the latest available year to run from 1 October 2009 to 30 September 2010. The figures you request are set out in three tables at the end of this letter.
	Table A details the total number of stage 1 complaints about our work in this period and the number we responded to within 20 working days of receipt. Prior to 1 September 2010 and so for the majority of the period you have requested information on, our timescale for response was 20 working days from receipt of the complaint. As a result, we monitored our performance against this standard and so Table A has been compiled using this target deadline. I hope this is acceptable, but please do not hesitate to contact me further if you want the 25 day figure specifically. Following public consultation and the introduction of our new complaints process earlier this year, we now make a telephone call to the complainant to clarify the detail and assess the type and scope of the complaint in the first five days after we receive the complaint. We now aim to provide a substantive response to complainants within 20 working days of the initial contact telephone call, or within 25 working days of receipt of the complaint, whichever is earlier. The timescale for the investigation begins the day after the telephone call with the complainant or six working days after the complaint was received if no contact has been made.
	Table B shows the total number of complaints about our work in this period that progressed to stage 2 and the number to which we responded within 20 working days of receipt of the stage 2 request from the complainant. The number of complaints is approximately 10% of the complaints received at stage 1.
	Table C shows the total number of complaints that progressed to the Independent Complaints Adjudication Service for Ofsted in the last year. This figure represents approximately 2% of complaints received at stage one.
	A copy of this reply has been sent to Nick Gibb MP, Minister of State for Schools.
	
		
			  Table A-Stage 1 complaints 
			   Number of complaints  Completed in 20-day target 
			 1 October 2009 to 30 September 2010 1,713 1,360 
		
	
	
		
			  Table B-Stage 2 complaints 
			   Number of complaints  Completed in 20-day target 
			 1 October 2009 to 30 September 2010 205 131 
		
	
	
		
			  Table C-Complaints to the Independent Complaints Adjudication Service for Ofsted 
			   Number of complaints 
			 1 October 2009 to 30 September 2010 41

Pupil Exclusions

Simon Wright: To ask the Secretary of State for Education how many and what proportion of  (a) boys and  (b) girls eligible for free school meals were given (i) permanent and (ii) fixed-period exclusions in each of the last five years in (A) Norfolk, (B) Norwich South constituency and (C) England.

Nick Gibb: Information for 2006/07, 2007/08 and 2008/09 is shown in the table.
	To provide information for further years would incur disproportionate cost.
	
		
			  Primary, secondary and special schools( 1, 2, 3) : Number and percentage of pupil enrolments receiving one or more fixed period exclusions or a permanent exclusion by gender for children eligible for free school meals, 2006/07 to 2008/09 
			   Boys  Girls  Total 
			   Number of pupil enrolments eligible for free school meals( 4)  Percentage of school population( 5)  Number of pupil enrolments eligible for free school meals( 4)  Percentage of school population( 5)  Number of pupil enrolments eligible for free school meals( 4)  Percentage of school population( 5) 
			  Permanent exclusions( 6)   
			  England   
			 2006/07 2,510 0.44 690 0.13 3,210 0.28 
			 2007/08 2,380 0.42 680 0.13 3,050 0.28 
			 2008/09 1,900 0.33 590 0.11 2,480 0.22 
			  Norfolk   
			 2006/07 30 0.46 10 0.11 40 0.29 
			 2007/08 30 0.40 10 0.10 30 0.25 
			 2008/09 20 0.35 10 0.19 40 0.27 
			  Norwich South   
			 2006/07 10 0.70 (7)- (7)- 10 0.47 
			 2007/08 (7)- (7)- (7)- (7)- 10 0.27 
			 2008/09 10 0.50 (7)- (7)- 10 0.33 
			
			  Fixed period exclusions   
			  England   
			 2006/07 48,960 8.50 18,750 3.40 67,720 6.01 
			 2007/08 44,790 7.99 17,300 3.22 62,090 5.66 
			 2008/09 44,100 7.73 16,950 3.09 61,040 5.45 
			  Norfolk   
			 2006/07 560 8.11 230 3.49 790 5.86 
			 2007/08 450 7.03 150 2.43 600 4.77 
			 2008/09 490 7.27 210 3.22 690 5.28 
			  Norwich South   
			 2006/07 70 5.50 30 2.77 100 4.17 
			 2007/08 60 5.50 20 1.92 80 3.78 
			 2008/09 40 3.90 10 1.29 60 2.63 
			 (1) Includes middle schools as deemed.(  2) Includes city technology colleges and academies.(  3) Includes maintained special and non-maintained special schools. Excludes general hospital schools.(  4) Free school meal eligibility as at the time of the January School Census for each year. (5) The number of pupil enrolments who received exclusions expressed as a percentage of the number (headcount) of all pupils (excluding dually registered pupils) in January of each year.  (6) Figures relating to permanent exclusions are estimates based on incomplete pupil-level data.  (7) Fewer than 5 pupils.   Note:  Totals may not appear to equal the sum of component parts because numbers have been rounded to the nearest 10.   Source:  School Census.

Schools: Lancashire

Andrew Stephenson: To ask the Secretary of State for Education how many applications he has received to set up new schools in East Lancashire.

Nick Gibb: holding answer 14 October 2010
	The Department for Education has received one proposal to set up a new free school in East Lancashire.

Schools: Rotherham

Denis MacShane: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what recent representations he has received on the status of Brinsworth Comprehensive School in Rotherham; and if he will make a statement.

Nick Gibb: My right hon. Friend has received no representations regarding the status of Brinsworth comprehensive school. He has approved its change of status to an academy from 1 October 2010.

Schools: Vocational Training

Andrew Bridgen: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what recent representations he has received on duplication in schools of vocational training provided by further educational colleges; and if he will make a statement.

Nick Gibb: My right hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Education asked Professor Alison Wolf to carry out an independent review of vocational education. Professor Wolf will consider the organisation, funding and target audience for vocational education, and the principles that should underpin the content, structure and teaching methods. She will report in spring 2011, and her findings will inform future developments to improve the standard of vocational education for 14 to 19-year-olds.

Sixth Form Education

Greg Knight: To ask the Secretary of State for Education 
	(1)  whether his Department provides guidance to schools and colleges on a minimum number of teaching hours per subject for sixth form students;
	(2)  by what mechanisms his Department estimates the average number of weekly teaching hours sixth form students receive per subject.

Nick Gibb: holding answer 21 October 2010
	The Department does not issue guidance to schools and sixth form colleges on a minimum number of teaching hours per subject for sixth form students, nor does it estimate the average weekly teaching hours sixth form students receive per subject. It is for institutions themselves to decide how much time they allocate to teaching in each subject for each group of students.
	Awarding organisations present information on guided learning hours in their accredited specifications. These provide a guide to the total amount of time, whether as a fixed number of hours or a range, which the average student will need to complete the full qualification, and are based on a professional judgement of what is reasonable in each case.

Special Educational Needs: Finance

Rehman Chishti: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what plans he has for the future funding of special educational needs.

Sarah Teather: The Government published a consultation on 26 July proposing arrangements for funding schools in 2011-12, including for pupils with special educational needs or disabilities. The responses to the consultation are being considering currently. Further announcements on the future funding arrangements for pupils with special educational needs will be made in the Schools White Paper and in the Green Paper on Special Educational Needs and Disabilities, which we expect to publish later this year.

Specialist Schools: Finance

Nick de Bois: To ask the Secretary of State for Education how many schools his Department initially designated as specialist schools as a result of the most recent round of applications.

Nick Gibb: holding answer 18 October 2010
	139 schools were initially designated as specialist schools in the most recent round of applications.

Teachers: Chemistry

Chris Skidmore: To ask the Secretary of State for Education how many maintained mainstream secondary schools do not employ a teacher with a specialism in chemistry.

Tim Loughton: Information on the qualifications and deployment of secondary school teachers in maintained schools in England is currently available from the Secondary Schools Curriculum and Staffing Survey (SSCSS). The most recent survey was conducted in 2007; however, a reliable estimate of the number of schools that did not employ any teachers with a chemistry specialism is not possible from this data source due to a small sample size of 327 schools.
	In future this information will be available centrally from the new school work force census. The census will collect annual information on the qualifications of all teachers in maintained secondary schools in England and the subjects that they are teaching. The first full collection of the census is scheduled for November 2010 and the findings are due to be published in April 2011.
	Independent research has been conducted on the distribution of chemistry specialist teachers throughout England. In particular:
	The 2006 National Foundation for Educational Research report: "Mathematics and science in secondary schools"(1) suggested that of 12% of 11-16 schools had no specialist chemistry teachers (7% of all maintained secondary schools in England).
	(1) Source:
	"Mathematics and science in secondary schools", page 113, NfER 2006.

Teachers: Conditions of Employment

Julian Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what estimate he has made of the cost to schools of the introduction of the "rarely cover" guidelines for teachers in the 2009-10 academic year.

Nick Gibb: In September 2009, as part of "Raising Standards and Tackling Workload: a National Agreement", the previous administration introduced the provision that teachers should cover for other teachers only rarely, and only in circumstances that are not foreseeable by schools. I have made no estimate of the cost to schools of this provision for the academic year 2009-10.
	This Government wants to reform our school system so that schools have the freedom and flexibilities to organise staff and resources in a way that reflects local priorities and needs.

Teachers: History

Chris Skidmore: To ask the Secretary of State for Education how many maintained mainstream secondary schools do not employ a teacher with a specialism in history.

Tim Loughton: Information on the qualifications and deployment of secondary school teachers in maintained schools in England is currently available from the Secondary Schools Curriculum and Staffing Survey (SSCSS). The most recent survey was conducted in 2007; however, a reliable estimate of the number of schools that did not employ any teachers with a history specialism is not possible from this data source due to a small sample size of 327 schools.
	In future this information will be available centrally from the new School Workforce Census. The census will collect annual information on the qualifications of all teachers in maintained secondary schools in England and the subjects that they are teaching. The first full collection of the census is scheduled for November 2010 and the findings are due to be published in April 2011.

Teachers: Languages

Chris Skidmore: To ask the Secretary of State for Education how many maintained mainstream secondary schools do not employ a teacher with a specialism in a modern foreign language.

Tim Loughton: Information on the qualifications and deployment of secondary school teachers in maintained schools in England is currently available from the Secondary Schools Curriculum and Staffing Survey (SSCSS). The most recent survey was conducted in 2007; however, a reliable estimate of the number of schools that did not employ any teachers with a modern foreign language specialism is not possible from this data source due to a small sample size of 327 schools.
	In future this information will be available centrally from the new School Workforce Census. The census will collect annual information on the qualifications of all teachers in maintained secondary schools in England and the subjects that they are teaching. The first full collection of the census is scheduled for November 2010 and the findings are due to be published in April 2011.

Teachers: Physics

Chris Skidmore: To ask the Secretary of State for Education how many maintained mainstream secondary schools do not employ a teacher with a specialism in physics.

Tim Loughton: Information on the qualifications and deployment of secondary school teachers in maintained schools in England is currently available from the Secondary Schools Curriculum and Staffing Survey (SSCSS). The most recent survey was conducted in 2007; however, a reliable estimate of the number of schools that did not employ any teachers with a physics specialism is not possible from this data source due to a small sample size of 327 schools.
	In future this information will be available centrally from the new School Workforce Census. The census will collect annual information on the qualifications of all teachers in maintained secondary schools in England and the subjects that they are teaching. The first full collection of the census is scheduled for November 2010 and the findings are due to be published in April 2011.
	Independent research has been conducted on the distribution of physics specialist teachers throughout England. In particular:
	The 2006 NfER report: Mathematics and science in secondary schools(1) suggested that one quarter of 11-16 schools had no specialist physics teachers (16% of all schools);
	(1) Mathematics and science in secondary schools, p. 113, NfER 2006
	More recently, Smithers and Robinson wrote a report for the Gatsby Foundation in 2008 on physics teachers which included an estimate of the distribution across maintained schools(2). The report suggested that 24% of state schools do not employ a physics specialist, however, this percentage varied from between 0% of engineering specialist schools and 48% of non-specialist schools.
	(2) Physics in Schools IV: Supply and Retention of Teachers, p. 62, CEER 2008

Voluntary Schools: Hartlepool

Iain Wright: To ask the Secretary of State for Education when he expects to make a decision on the application for voluntary aided status from Ward Jackson primary school in Hartlepool constituency.

Nick Gibb: holding answer 25 October 2010
	The application is for consent to publish proposals for a new Church of England voluntary aided school outside a new school competition, to replace the current Ward Jackson community school. If consent is granted a full statutory process must still be followed and the decision on whether or not the new school is approved will be taken locally, under established local decision-making arrangements.
	We are awaiting further information from the Diocese of Durham which is the applicant in this case as a school does not have the power to make an application. The application will be considered in full once this is received.

Witten Questions: Government Responses

Yvonne Fovargue: To ask the Secretary of State for Education when he plans to answer question 15590 on sixth form colleges and the Young Person's Learning Agency, tabled on 13 September 2010 for answer on 16 September; and if he will make a statement.

Nick Gibb: holding answer 22 October 2010
	PQ 15590 was answered on 25 October,  Official Report, column 95W.

Witten Questions: Government Responses

Iain Wright: To ask the Secretary of State for Education when he expects to answer question 19500, tabled by the hon. member for Hartlepool (Mr Wright) on 20 October 2010 for named day answer on 25 October on the voluntary-aided application status of Ward Jackson primary school in Hartlepool constituency.

Nick Gibb: A response has been issued to the hon. Member today.

Witten Questions: Government Responses

Kevin Brennan: To ask the Secretary of State for Education when he plans to answer questions  (a) 20044,  (b) 20045,  (c) 20046 and  (d) 20146 tabled on 25 October 2010 for named day answer on 28 October 2010.

Tim Loughton: Responses to the hon. Member's questions will be issued shortly.

JUSTICE

Corporate Information

Robert Halfon: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how much the Office of the Information Commissioner spent on the provision of corporate information in the last 24 months.

Jonathan Djanogly: The Information Commissioner's Office (ICO) does not have a specific budget for corporate entertainment. However, the costs of refreshments during meetings is set out as follows:
	
		
			  Financial year  Cost (£) 
			 2008-09 10,158 
			 2009-10 6,605 
			 2010-11 (until 31 October 2010) 2,730 
		
	
	This information was provided by the ICO.

Court of Protection

John Hemming: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many individuals are subject to a Court of Protection order determining that they do not have the capacity to decide where they may live.

Jonathan Djanogly: Applications to the Court of Protection cover a wide range of financial, health care and personal welfare issues, including where it is in the best interests of the person to live, and often the application will require the court to deal with a number of issues together. During the period from 1 October 2007 (when the current Court of Protection was created by the Mental Capacity Act 2005) to 31 October 2010, the Court of Protection made 420 orders in relation to its personal welfare jurisdiction, and in 294 of these cases, the court appointed a deputy to make personal welfare decisions on behalf of the person lacking mental capacity. Some of these orders may have involved decisions about where someone should live, but the court does not record this level of detail centrally and could obtain the information only by examining all the court files at disproportionate cost.

Court of Protection

John Hemming: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many persons resident in the UK and subject to  (a) imprisonment or  (b) orders of (i) the Court of Protection and (ii) other courts may not have their names published by virtue of legislative provision or court order.

Jonathan Djanogly: In response to parts  (a) and  (b) (ii) above, there is no information held centrally on how many UK residents subject to imprisonment or court order may not have their names published by virtue of legislation or court orders.
	As far as part  (b) (i) is concerned, the Court of Protection Rules 2007 provide that, as a general rule, proceedings are held in private, but the court has a general power to authorise publication of information about proceedings and to order that a hearing be held in public. It is contempt of court to publish any information about Court of Protection proceedings, unless the court has ordered otherwise. The Court of Protection received 20,936 applications in 2008-09 and 19,528 in 2009-10, and there are currently 35,000 court appointed deputies authorised to make decisions on behalf of persons who lack the capacity to make such decisions themselves.

Courts: Offenders

John Hemming: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many people were serving a custodial sentence as a result of a contempt of court in respect of each division of court that sentenced them in the latest period for which figures are available.

Crispin Blunt: As of 30 September 2010 there were 24 people recorded as being imprisoned for contempt of court.
	There are no readily available data to separately identify each division of the sentencing court. This detailed information is held by the courts only on individual case files, which due to their size and complexity are not reported centrally to the Ministry of Justice.

Cruelty Against Children: Cruelty To Animals

Mark Pritchard: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice if he will commission research into possible links between convictions of individuals for offences involving cruelty to animals and subsequent convictions of the same individuals for offences involving acts of cruelty against children.

Crispin Blunt: The Ministry of Justice collates administrative data via the Police National Computer (PNC) on the numbers of offenders convicted of a variety of offences. Analysis of an extract of data from the PNC shows that there were 10,617 offenders convicted of animal cruelty between 2000 and 2009 and recorded on the PNC. Of these, 32 (0.3%) were recorded as being subsequently convicted of cruelty to or neglect of children, under the Children and Young Persons Act 1933.
	Further research is not currently planned on this topic.

Departmental Alcoholic Drinks

Robert Halfon: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how much the Office of the Information Commissioner spent on alcohol in the last 24 months.

Jonathan Djanogly: No figure is available for the amount spent on alcohol by the Information Commissioner's Office (ICO) in the last 24 months. Expenditure on refreshments is not recorded separately for alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages.
	This information was provided by the ICO.

Departmental Buildings

Tom Watson: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what the address is of each property  (a) leased and  (b) owned by the Tribunals Service; and what the annual rental costs of those buildings were in each of the last three years.

Jonathan Djanogly: I have arranged for the list of addresses requested by the hon. Member to be placed in the Library of the House.
	The Tribunals Service currently has 41 leasehold properties; these are properties leased from private companies. There are 16 properties owned or leased by other Government Departments where the Tribunals Service is a minor occupier; these properties are known as properties held on a memorandum of terms of occupancy (MOTO). There are also 47 properties which are part of the PRIME contract with Department for Work and Pensions; this is a MOTO with the DWP for occupancy of space at DWP sites which was transferred to the Tribunals Service.
	For the past three years the rental costs for buildings leased or held on a MOTO (excluding the DWP PRIME contract) by the Tribunals Service is shown in the following table.
	
		
			   Rental cost (£ million) 
			 2007-08 24.287 
			 2008-09 24.274 
			 2009-10 23.456 
		
	
	The facility price for the buildings held on a MOTO within the DWP PRIME contract for the past three years is shown in the following table.
	
		
			   Facility price (£ million) 
			 2007-08 9.377 
			 2008-09 9.475 
			 2009-10 8.901 
		
	
	The cost used is the facility price associated with the DWP PRIME contract. The rental element can be calculated only at a disproportionate cost due to the nature of the invoicing arrangement.

Departmental Communications

Robert Halfon: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice 
	(1)  how much the Office of the Information Commissioner has spent on external communications and marketing in each year since its inception;
	(2)  how much the Office of the Information Commissioner has spent on internal communications in each year since its inception.

Jonathan Djanogly: The expenditure for both internal and external communications and marketing is set out in the following table. Expenditure on internal communications was only recorded separately from 2006-07. Before that date that expenditure comprises part of the total reported expenditure on communications and marketing. The figures in the total expenditure column are extracted from published annual reports, although the description of this type of expenditure has varied over the years including Public relations, Education and Awareness, Communications and External Relations.
	
		
			  £ 
			  Financial year  Total expenditure on communications  Internal communications 
			 1984-85 3,840 n/a 
			 1985-86 395,397 n/a 
			 1986-87 386,552 n/a 
			 1987-88 699,545 n/a 
			 1988-89 756,068 n/a 
			 1989-90 629,915 n/a 
			 1990-91 493,958 n/a 
			 1991-92 503,252 n/a 
			 1992-93 649,902 n/a 
			 1993-94 411,730 n/a 
			 1994-95 428,754 n/a 
			 1995-96 381,055 n/a 
			 1996-97 577,952 n/a 
			 1997-98 324,248 n/a 
			 1998-99 209,072 n/a 
			 1999-2000 506,386 n/a 
			 2000-01 956,423 n/a 
			 2001-02 1,262,330 n/a 
			 2002-03 1,149,679 n/a 
			 2003-04 1,275,153 n/a 
			 2004-05 1,049,660 n/a 
			 2005-06 1,343,110 n/a 
			 2006-07 1,861,782 20,335 
			 2007-08 1,472,604 36,999 
			 2008-09 1,415,000 12,323 
			 2009-10 1,346,000 11,583 
			 n/a = Not available.  Source: This information was provided by the Information Commissioner's Office.

Departmental Conferences

Robert Halfon: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what estimate he has made of the expenditure from the public purse by the Office of the Information Commissioner on  (a) attending and  (b) hosting conferences in each of the last five years.

Jonathan Djanogly: No estimate is available for the cost of attending conferences hosted by other organisations. Staff from the Information Commissioner's Office (ICO) routinely attend conferences to give presentations on information rights and to encourage good practice. Staff combine attendance or speaking at conferences with other meetings to make the best use of their time and travel costs.
	The cost of conferences hosted by the ICO in each of the last years is set out in the following table.
	
		
			  Financial year  Cost (£) 
			 2005-06 24,747 
			 2006-07 159,648 
			 2007-08 19,934 
			 2008-09 70,094 
			 2009-10 74,398 
			  Note: In 2006-07 the ICO hosted the International Freedom of Information and Data Protection Conferences on behalf of the United Kingdom.  Source: This information was provided by the ICO.

Departmental Official Hospitality

Ian Austin: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how much his Department spent on hospitality for events hosted by each of its Ministers in  (a) September and  (b) October 2010.

Kenneth Clarke: The only expenditure of this nature incurred during this period was by me, as Secretary of State for Justice and Lord Chancellor on the following events:
	
		
			   Event  Cost (£) 
			 1 October 2010 Cost of opening of legal year breakfast 13,176 
			 18 October 2010 Lord Mayor Elect ceremony 340 
			 Total - 13,516 
		
	
	All hospitality is closely scrutinised and carefully monitored to ensure good value for taxpayers' money and that it stays within the appropriate rules and guidelines.

Departmental Pay

Robert Halfon: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what the annual salary of the Information Commissioner was in the latest period for which figures are available; and what  (a) expenses,  (b) bonus,  (c) car scheme and  (d) pension payments were made.

Jonathan Djanogly: The Information Commissioner's salary for the period 2009-10 was set by Parliament at £140,000. The Information Commissioner is not eligible for a bonus and the Information Commissioner's Office (ICO) does not operate a car scheme. The current Information Commissioner's expenses for the financial year 2009-10 were £5,875 and cover the period from 29 June 2009 when he took up his appointment to 31 March 2010. His expenses for the financial year 2010-11 were £570 as at 31 October. The pension payments in respect of the current Information Commissioner were £25,704 for the period between 29 June 2009 and 31 March 2010.
	The remuneration package and expenses for the Information Commissioner and members of the ICO executive team are included in the Information Commissioner's annual report 2009-10, which was laid before Parliament in July 2010.
	This information was provided by the ICO.

Departmental Pay

Tom Watson: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many staff are employed by the Tribunals Service; and how much was spent on salary costs in the last year for which figures are available.

Jonathan Djanogly: The average number of staff employed during the financial year of 2009-10 was 2,992.
	The expenditure incurred as a result of this staffing level for 2009-10 was £76.993 million.

Departmental Policy

Tom Watson: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what departmental policy reviews his Department has undertaken since 6 May 2010; on what date each such review  (a) was announced and  (b) is expected to publish its findings; what estimate he has made of the cost of each such review; who has been appointed to lead each such review; to what remuneration each review leader is entitled; how many (i) full-time equivalent civil servants and (ii) seconded staff are working on each such review; from which organisations such staff have been seconded; and how much on average such seconded staff will be paid for their work on the review.

Jonathan Djanogly: The Ministry of Justice has not established any external policy reviews since 6 May 2010. However, the Family Justice Review was announced in the Families and Relationships Green Paper from the then Department for Children, Schools and Families in January 2010.
	The review is expected to publish its final report in autumn 2011 and is expected to cost £75,000 for the financial year 2010-11.
	David Norgrove is heading up the review. He receives no remuneration, but is reimbursed for expenses incurred through his work for the review.
	The review is staffed by 7.7 FTE civil servants and there are no seconded staff on the review.

Departmental Public Expenditure

David Mowat: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice 
	(1)  what his Department's capital expenditure per head was in  (a) London and  (b) the North West in each of the last five years;
	(2)  how much and what proportion of his Department's capital expenditure was allocated to  (a) London and  (b) the North West in each of the last five financial years.

Crispin Blunt: The Ministry of Justice (MoJ) does not centrally hold information on capital expenditure per head or by allocation on a regional basis. It would incur disproportionate cost to collate such information at a local level with full coverage of the Department including: the MoJ Headquarters, HM Courts Service, Tribunals Service, the Office of the Public Guardian, and the National Offender Management Service.
	However, information on what the MoJ has incurred in terms of the total capital costs set under the Departmental Expenditure Limits (DEL) is available in the public domain. This can be found on p161 of the Department's 2009-10 Resource Accounts at the following link:
	http://www.justice.gov.uk/resource-accounts-2009-10.htm
	The MoJ capital outturn for the last five years is summarised in the following table:
	
		
			  Financial year  Outturn (£000) 
			 2009-10 848,023 
			 2008-09 899,558 
			 2007-08 748,799 
			 2006-07 534,965 
			 2005-06 502,442 
		
	
	The increase in expenditure in 2007-08 and in the following years is due to machinery of government change, which resulted in the transfer of additional funding for the National Offender Management Service and the Office for Criminal Justice Reform from the Home Office to the newly formed Ministry of Justice, and the implementation of Lord Carter's review of HM Prison Service, which resulted in an increase in capital spend to take account of the additional prison capacity requirement.

Departmental Redundancy

Tom Watson: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many redundancies he expects there to be at the Tribunals Service as a result of the implementation of the Government's proposals for public bodies reform; and what he expects the  (a) severance and  (b) pension arrangements to be for employees.

Jonathan Djanogly: Proposals for public bodies reform published by the Cabinet Office on 14 October and introduced in the Public Bodies Bill are that a number of appeal jurisdictions currently under the Departments for Business, Innovation and Skills, Communities and Local Government and Environment, Food and Rural Affairs be transferred to the Tribunals Service. There are no plans for changes to existing Tribunals Service jurisdictions and, therefore, no redundancies are expected as a result of the proposals for public bodies reforms.
	The Ministry of Justice has received the spending review 2010 allocation but this has not yet been apportioned to business groups to inform workforce planning over the comprehensive spending review period. It is forecast that any staff reductions will be achieved as much as possible through natural attrition and voluntary early exits, with compulsory departures to be used only as a last resort.
	 (a) All early departures will be subject to the Civil Service Compensation Scheme.
	 (b) All pension arrangements are subject to the Principal Civil Service Pension Scheme.

Departmental Redundancy

Angela Eagle: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how much funding to meet staff redundancy costs was identified in his Department's settlement letter in respect of the comprehensive spending review.

Kenneth Clarke: All pressures on Departments' budgets were taken into account as part of the spending review and settlements were allocated accordingly. The full costs of redundancies will be met from within the Ministry of Justice's spending review resource DEL settlement.

Departmental Redundancy

Philip Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many staff of  (a) his Department and  (b) its agencies have been offered enhanced early retirement packages in each of the last three years.

Kenneth Clarke: The information requested is as follows.
	 Ministry of Justice (excluding National Offender Management Service)
	The Ministry of Justice does not record centrally the numbers of staff that have been offered enhanced early retirement packages in each of the last three years.
	However, the following table details the number of staff, including senior civil service, who have accepted and left the Department and its agencies (excluding NOMS) on enhanced early retirement packages in the last three years.
	
		
			   Number 
			 March 2007 to March 2008 71 
			 April 2008 to March 2009 80 
			 April 2009 to March 2010 14 
		
	
	The above numbers include staff who have left the Ministry on compulsory early retirement terms or flexible early retirement terms.
	 National Offender Management Service (NOMS)
	Information regarding the number of staff who have been offered enhanced retirement packages prior to September 2009 is not held centrally and to obtain this information would incur disproportionate costs.
	However, in September 2009, the National Offender Management Service published a voluntary exit scheme for managers under the terms of the Civil Service Compensation Scheme. In March 2010, 258 members of staff exited from NOMS via this scheme. Of this total figure, 12 senior managers were offered and exited under enhanced early retirement packages (flexible early retirement terms).
	The following table details the number of staff who have accepted and left NOMS on early retirement, not necessarily enhanced packages, in the last three years.
	
		
			   Number 
			 May 2007 to March 2008 79 
			 April 2008 to March 2009 32 
			 April 2009 to March 2010 292 
		
	
	The above numbers include staff who have retired early from NOMS on approved early retirement or flexible early retirement terms (enhanced retirement package).

Departmental Travel

Ian Austin: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what estimate his Department has made of its expenditure on travel undertaken by  (a) him and  (b) each other Minister in his Department in (i) September and (ii) October 2010.

Kenneth Clarke: The amounts spent on travel incurred during this period by me, as Secretary of State for Justice and Lord Chancellor and my Ministers are as follows:
	
		
			  £ 
			  Minister  October 2010  September 2010 
			 Kenneth Clarke QC 1,555 4,137 
			 Lord McNally 645 3,077 
			 Crispin Blunt 528 102 
			 Jonathan Djanogly 170 39 
			 Total 2,899 7,356 
		
	
	All travel by Ministers is undertaken in accordance with the Ministerial Code.
	A proportion of these costs are attributable to staff within Private Offices accompanying Ministers on business. It would incur disproportionate cost to separately identify these amounts.
	The figures do not include the costs of the Government Car Service since the Ministry are still awaiting some of the invoices for those journeys taken in September and October.

Empty Dwelling Management Orders: Squatting

David Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what recent representations he has received from  (a) members of the public,  (b) local government councillors and  (c) hon. Members and Members of the House of Lords on properties occupied by squatters; what response he provided in each case; and if he will make a statement.

Crispin Blunt: Following recent media coverage about the harm caused by squatters in residential and non-residential property, I have received a number of representations from members of the public and Members of Parliament calling for the law to be strengthened. To date, I have not received any representations from Members of the House of Lords or local councillors on this issue.
	I have asked my officials to look at the existing law on trespass and the way it is enforced to see if it can be strengthened. They are working with officials in other Government Departments, including the Home Office, and with the Association of Chief Police Officers and CPS to see what, if any, changes may need to be made, including to police guidance on dealing with squatters. No firm conclusions have been reached.

Expert Evidence: Social Work

Valerie Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice 
	(1)  what his policy is on the inclusion of the work of independent social workers in the remit of his Department's review group on expert witnesses in the family courts;
	(2)  if he will review the appropriateness of the fee structure proposed by the Legal Services Commission for independent social workers acting as expert witnesses in the family courts.

Jonathan Djanogly: Payments to independent social workers (ISWs) for family legal aid work are not included within the remit of the separate work being undertaken by my Department and the Legal Services Commission (LSC) on payments to expert witnesses in legal aid cases. This has been made clear to ISW groups on many occasions although they have also been invited to see and comment on any emerging findings from the expert witness fees project as part of a wider reference group. This is because changes to payments to ISWs were consulted on as part of the joint Ministry of Justice (MOJ) and LSC consultation Family Legal Aid Funding from 2010 which ran from 18 December 2008 to 3 April 2009. Following the full public consultation, it was confirmed in the consultation response that payment for legally aided independent social work in public and private law children cases would be capped to the same level as that paid by the Children and Family Court Advisory Service (CAFCASS). The consultation response was published on 21 October 2009 and is available on the LSC website at:
	https://consult.legalservices.gov.uk/inovem/consult.ti/FamilyFees2008/listdocuments
	The Department has no current plans to review this change, as it is considered that it is not an effective use of public money for the LSC to pay higher rates than those set by CAFCASS.

Google

Robert Halfon: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many staff of the Office of the Information Commissioner participated in the visit to the headquarters of Google in July 2010; and what the technical qualifications were of such staff.

Jonathan Djanogly: Two staff from the Information Commissioner's Office (ICO) participated in the visit to Google's headquarters in July 2010. As an Assistant Commissioner and a Strategic Liaison Group Manager, they were both senior staff with considerable experience in data protection law. This information was provided by the ICO.

Google

Robert Halfon: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice who was responsible for selecting the sample of the Google Street View payload data examined by staff of the Office of the Information Commissioner during their visit to the headquarters of Google in July 2010.

Jonathan Djanogly: The Information Commissioner's staff selected the sample payload data which was examined during their visit to Google headquarters.
	This information was provided by the Information Commissioner's Office.

Google

Robert Halfon: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many meetings  (a) the Information Commissioner and  (b) officials in his office held with representatives of Google in the last 24 months; and which representatives of Google were present on each occasion.

Jonathan Djanogly: The Information Commissioner has not met representatives of Google in the last 24 months. Staff from the Information Commissioner's Office (ICO) have met representatives of Google on two occasions and have also been in contact by email and telephone.
	This information was provided by the ICO.

Google

Robert Halfon: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice whether he received written advice from the Information Commissioner on Google's Street View project between January and October 2010.

Jonathan Djanogly: UK data protection legislation is enforced independently of Government by the Information Commissioner's Office (ICO) and it would not be appropriate for Ministers to be involved in the ICO's handling of any particular case.
	Discussions between the Information Commissioner and Ministers with regard to Google's Street View project have related to the general principles of the case.

Homicide: Sentencing

Andrea Leadsom: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice if he will assess the merits of extending the tariffs for individuals found guilty of murder who refuse to disclose  (a) the location of a body,  (b) the method of murder and  (c) the date and time of murder where such disclosure may be of comfort to the bereaved.

Crispin Blunt: The concealment of the body, or other evidence, is already an aggravating factor in sentencing. This means that where, for example, a murderer fails to disclose the location of the body of the victim, the court will punish that aspect of the offender's behaviour by imposing a longer minimum term under the mandatory life sentence required for murder.

Judges: Public Appointments

James Clappison: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice pursuant to the answer of 28 October 2010,  Official Report, column 482W, on judges: appointments, whether the most recent reserve list of candidates for judicial appointments contained candidates that did not pass a judicial competition; and how many judicial appointments have been made of candidates who had not passed a judicial competition in the latest period for which figures are available.

Kenneth Clarke: All candidates who have been recommended for appointment under section 94 of the Constitutional Reform Act 2005 have been through a selection exercise (competition) run by the Judicial Appointments Commission in accordance with that Act.
	All judicial appointments made under the Constitutional Reform Act 2005 for the period 2009-2010 (the latest period for which figures are available) followed a selection exercise (competition) run by the Judicial Appointments Commission.
	During the same period, at the request of the Lord Chief Justice and with the agreement of the Lord Chancellor, eight Circuit Judges were re-graded to Senior Circuit Judge without going through a JAC selection exercise.

Juries: Mental Illness

Kate Hoey: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what impact assessment his Department has undertaken in respect of those diagnosed with mental health conditions who are disqualified from jury service under the Juries Act 1974; and what impact assessment his Department has undertaken in respect of  (a) the Equality Act 2010,  (b) the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities and  (c) the Mental Capacity Act 2005.

Crispin Blunt: We have no plans at present to change the provisions in the Juries Act 1974 relating to the eligibility for jury service of people with mental health conditions and therefore are not undertaking any formal impact assessments in that connection. Initial analysis has indicated that only about 2% of people summoned for jury service are disqualified on grounds of mental health. Modifying the provisions governing people's eligibility to serve would be a disproportionate response in view of the limited benefits and the small number of people likely to be affected.

Magistrates Courts

Alun Cairns: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what response he has made to the Commissioner for Victims of Crime on his proposal to increase the number of cases heard by magistrates courts; and if he will make a statement.

Crispin Blunt: A statement issued by the Ministry of Justice on 3 November said:
	"The Victims Commissioner has called for an end to trial by jury for defendants in petty crime cases and the prevention of late guilty pleas. However, the Government is committed to preserving a person's fundamental right to have their case heard before a jury.
	Many defendants who elect Crown Court trial go on to plead guilty before the trial begins. This is unfair to victims and witnesses, and a waste of taxpayers' money.
	Those who plead guilty spare the victim the ordeal of giving evidence in court, and the criminal justice system significant resource. We are considering how best to encourage guilty pleas at an earlier stage, while preserving a person's long-standing right to have their case heard before a jury."

Mental Health

Jo Swinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what assessment he has made of recommendations relevant to his Department's policy responsibilities contained in the Foresight report on Mental Capacity and Well-Being by the Government Office for Science; if he will ensure that his Department takes steps to promote well-being; if he will ensure that his Department's policy development process takes account of psychological research into subjective well-being; and if he will make a statement.

Crispin Blunt: We recognise the importance of decisions and actions taken in the justice system as having a significant impact on individuals' mental health and well-being, and anticipate that many of our planned reforms will have a positive impact. For example, the family justice review is considering how to make the family justice system more efficient and effective, thereby providing better outcomes for people using it; and our proposals for bringing about a rehabilitation revolution are aimed to improve access to mental health services by offenders-a group identified by the Foresight report as suffering from high levels of mental health problems. We will be consulting widely in our forthcoming Rehabilitation and Sentencing Green Paper, and implementation of changes will be informed by the views received and the relevant research.

National Probation Service: Wales

Elfyn Llwyd: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how much funding he allocated to the Probation Service in North Wales in 2009-10; and how much such funding he plans to allocate in  (a) 2010-11 and  (b) 2011-12.

Crispin Blunt: In the financial year 2009-10 the funding allocated to North Wales Probation Board by NOMS was £12,132,000. In addition to this funding, NOMS Cymru made an additional allocation of £205,000 to ensure that North Wales Probation received a sufficient level of funding to provide probation services across the region. During the financial year north Wales identified that it would not spend this full allocation and a transfer of funding of £112,000 was made to Gwent Probation Board to allow it to offer some employees early exit schemes. The final amount of funding provided to North Wales Probation Board for 2009-10 was £12,225,000.
	With effect from 1 April 2010, following the successful application of all four probation organisations in Wales to merge and form the Wales Probation Trust, North Wales Probation Board ceased to exist as a single entity. As such it is not possible to identify the amount of funding allocated to north Wales for probation services, however, the level of funding provided to the Wales Probation Trust for 2010-11 currently stands at £55,626,000, which represents a funding settlement that is in line with the business plan put forward as part of the application to form the Wales Probation Trust. It is not possible to specify the proportion of funding provided to cover north Wales as many services are now provided on an all Wales basis.
	NOMS is unable to confirm the level of funding that will be provided to the Wales Probation Trust for 2011-12 as the settlement for the whole of NOMS is not yet known. Once the detail of the impact of the comprehensive spending review has been worked through NOMS will be in a position to provide the planned funding allocation for Wales Probation Trust.

Offenders: Disciplinary Offences

Mike Wood: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many offenders in each prison establishment were found to be in breach of prison discipline in each of the last 12 months; and if he will make a statement.

Crispin Blunt: The National Offender Management Service (NOMS) records the total number of findings of guilt against prisoners at internal disciplinary hearings (adjudications). Information by month and by establishment is not held centrally and could be obtained by contacting every prison only at disproportionate cost.
	In 2009 (the latest year for which figures are available) the total number of proven disciplinary offences was 104,745. Some prisoners may have been found guilty of more than one offence.
	Data on disciplinary offences and punishments in prisons are available in the Offender Management Caseload Statistics 2009, on the Ministry of Justice website at:
	http://www.justice.gov.uk/publications/prisonandprobation.htm

Information Commissioner's Office

Robert Halfon: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what recent assessment he has made of the effectiveness of the Information Commissioner's Office.

Jonathan Djanogly: The Ministry of Justice and the Information Commissioner's Office (ICO) meet regularly to discuss a range of matters, including the Commissioner's powers and resources.
	The ICO is independent of Government in the way it discharges its statutory responsibilities in respect of the Freedom of Information Act, Environmental Information Regulations, Data Protection Act and Privacy and Electronic Communications Regulations.

Parole: Reoffenders

Chris Heaton-Harris: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice 
	(1)  how many people were recalled to prison from the Bridgewood House probation hostel, Northampton in  (a) 2008 and  (b) 2009;
	(2)  what proportion of the prison population was made up of recalled prisoners in the latest period for which figures are available;
	(3)  how many people were recalled to prison for breaches of licence in  (a) 2008 and  (b) 2009.

Crispin Blunt: According to information provided by Bridgewood House Approved Premises, Northampton, the number of residents recalled to prison in  (a) 2008 was 13 and  (b) 2009 was 15.
	The prison population as at 30 September 2010 was 85,429; of these prisoners, 5,659 were recalls, a proportion of 7%.
	Data on the number of offenders recalled to custody are broken down by business year (April to March). The number of offenders recalled to prison in  (a) 2008-09 was 13,351 and  (b) 2009-10 was 14,779.
	The Department publishes quarterly information on the prison population; the latest available data, September 2010, can be found at:
	http://www.justice.gov.uk/publications/offender-management-stats-quarterly.htm
	These figures have been drawn from administrative IT systems which, as with any large scale recording system, are subject to possible errors with data entry and processing.

Prison Accommodation

Priti Patel: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many cells are available for solitary confinement on the prison estate.

Crispin Blunt: As of 4 November 2010 and based on information from central records, around 1,950 places are available for the purposes of holding prisoners in segregated conditions.
	These figures have been drawn from central administrative/recording systems, which, as with any large scale recording system, are subject to possible errors with data entry and processing.

Prison Officers

Mike Wood: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice 
	(1)  what recent estimate he has made of the average cost to the public purse of training a new entrant prison officer level 2;
	(2)  what recent estimate he has made of the cost to the public purse of training a new entrant prison officer.

Crispin Blunt: Since 1 October 2009, all newly recruited prison officers commence employment in the core role of Prison Officer 2.
	The cost of training a new entrant Prison Officer 2 is approximately £4,423 per person.

Prison Sentences

Gavin Shuker: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many people convicted for offences in each category were given indeterminate sentences for public protection in the latest year for which figures are available.

Crispin Blunt: The number of persons given indeterminate sentences for public protection (IPP) for each offence group in 2009 (latest available) can be found in the following table:
	
		
			  Persons given an indeterminate sentence for public protection (IPP)( 1) , by offence group, 2009( 2, 3) 
			  Offence group  Number 
			 Violence against the person 357 
			 Sexual offences 298 
			 Burglary 25 
			 Robbery 213 
			 Criminal damage 54 
			 Other (excluding motoring offences) indictable offences 54 
			 All offences 1,001 
			 (1 )S.225 and 226 Criminal Justice Act 2003-Detention for Public Protection in the case of offenders under 18.(  2) The figures given in the table relate to persons for whom these offences were the principal offences for which they were dealt with. When a defendant has been found guilty of two or more offences it is the offence for which the heaviest penalty is imposed. Where the same disposal is imposed for two or more offences, the offence selected is the offence for which the statutory maximum penalty is the most severe.(  3) Every effort is made to ensure that the figures presented are accurate and complete. However, it is important to note that these data have been extracted from large administrative data systems generated by the courts and police forces. As a consequence, care should be taken to ensure data collection processes and their inevitable limitations are taken into account when those data are used.   Source:  Justice Statistics-Analytical Services, Ministry of Justice.

Prison Sentences

Philip Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice pursuant to the answer of 25 October 2010,  Official Report, columns 41-43W, on sentencing, what the most recent common offence was of offenders sent to jail for 15 or more previous convictions or cautions who did not receive an immediate custodial sentence in each year.

Crispin Blunt: Theft from a shop is the most common offence for offenders with 15 or more convictions or cautions who did not receive an immediate custodial sentence. As can be seen in table 1, in 2009 theft from a shop accounted for 24,658 (44%) of offenders who were not sentenced to immediate custody and had 15 or more convictions or cautions. These figures are derived from table 6.2 of "Sentencing Statistics: England and Wales 2009" which was published on 21 October 2010.
	
		
			  Table 1: Number of offenders with 15 or more convictions or cautions who did not receive an immediate custodial sentence for an indictable offence by most common offence, 2007-09, England and Wales 
			   2007  2008  2009 
			 Number of offenders sentenced for theft from a shop with 15 or more previous convictions/cautions 18,625 21,999 24,658 
			 Percentage of offenders sentenced for theft from a shop with 15 or more previous convictions/cautions 39 41 44 
			 All offenders with 15 or more previous convictions/cautions (Number) 47,649 53,497 56,671 
		
	
	The figures have been drawn from the police's administrative IT system, the police national computer, which, as with any large scale recording system, is subject to possible errors with data entry and processing. The figures are provisional and subject to change as more information is recorded by the police.

Prison Service: Wales

Elfyn Llwyd: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how much funding he allocated to the Prison Service in North Wales in 2009-10; and how much such funding he plans to allocate in  (a) 2010-11 and  (b) 2011-12.

Crispin Blunt: The Prison Service and NOMS are national agencies that cover the whole of England and Wales and provide a service for all offenders regardless of their home location. Presently there are no prisons situated in north Wales area and as such there has been no funding directly allocated to north Wales in relation to Prison Services. The majority of male offenders in custody who originate from north Wales are located at HMP Altcourse, with the majority of female prisoners being held in HMP Styal, and additional services have been allocated to support Welsh offenders held at both sites. The cost of these services are included in the overall prisons' cost. As such we are unable to separately identify the funds utilised for those services.

Prison: Education

Helen Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many  (a) prison officers and  (b) other staff are engaged in delivering education in prison; and how many redundancies among such staff he expects to arise from the implementation of the proposals of the 2010 Comprehensive Spending Review.

Crispin Blunt: There were (on 30 June 2010) 277 full-time equivalent directly employed prison officers, senior officers and principal officers with an instructional specialism. There are also 895 full time equivalent directly employed civilian instructional officers, who are civil servants and are involved in delivering vocational training in prison workshops and other areas.
	Education in prisons is, in the main, contracted out by the Skills Funding Agency and its contractors employ the staff. No central information is held on their numbers and to collect this information from individual contractors would incur disproportionate cost.
	The impact of the 2010 Comprehensive Spending Review on offender education staffing levels is not yet determined.
	A review led jointly by the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills and the Ministry of Justice on offender education is currently underway and is due to report to Ministers before Christmas.

Prisoners

Philip Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how much his Department has spent on halfway houses for former prison inmates in the last three years.

Crispin Blunt: Approved Premises provide close and enhanced supervised accommodation for high and very high risk offenders, which would be much more difficult if such offenders were dispersed into less suitable accommodation elsewhere in the community. Approved Premises accommodate prisoners who have completed the custodial part of their sentence and have been released on licence, as well as offenders serving community sentences and bailees with a condition of residence. The total budget for Approved Premises in each of the last three financial years (including 2010-11) has been £58,300,000. It is not possible to separate out the cost of providing supervised accommodation in Approved Premises for offenders on licence from the cost of providing that accommodation to other offenders and bailees.
	The Bail Accommodation and Support Service (BASS) provides accommodation for bailees and for prisoners released on Home Detention Curfew (HDC). We estimate that the total spending on HDC usage within BASS over the last three financial years (including 2010-11) will be £11.46 million.

Prisoners

Priti Patel: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what his most recent estimate is of the prison population in each of the last five years; and if he will make a statement.

Crispin Blunt: The Ministry of Justice produces annual projections of the prison population in England and Wales, most recently in August 2010. These project the prison population under three different scenarios (increasing sentencing, no change and decreasing sentencing), based on different assumptions about future sentencing trends (custody rate and average custodial sentence length).
	These projections take no account of any impact on the prison population which might result from the recently published Ministry of Justice Structural Reform Plan.
	Other impacts included in the projections, such as those of legislation and processes, are applied equally to all scenarios. These cover the anticipated impacts of policy and process initiatives that have agreed implementation timetables.
	The following table shows end of June figures for the projected prison population for the next five years:
	
		
			  Projected prison population (end of June figures) 
			   Sentencing trends 
			   Increase  No change  Decrease 
			 2011 88,000 87,100 86,100 
			 2012 89,300 87,700 85,900 
			 2013 90,800 88,400 85,700 
			 2014 92,000 88,700 85,200 
			 2015 92,800 88,600 84,200 
			  Note:  All figures are rounded to the nearest 100. 
		
	
	These and more details on the projections may be found in the latest published bulletin "Prison Population Projections 2010-16" Ministry of Justice Statistics Bulletin, 10 August 2010. This is available at the following webpage:
	http://www.justice.gov.uk/publications/prisonpopulation.htm

Prisoners' Release

Priti Patel: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many and what proportion of prisoners were released having served their full sentence in prison in each year since 1997.

Crispin Blunt: In accordance with the legislation which governs the release of prisoners, no prisoner serving a determinate sentence is required to serve the entire sentence in prison. Most are required by law to be released at the halfway point of their sentence and, for sentences longer than 12 months, they then serve the second half of the sentence on licence in the community. They are supervised by the Probation Service and may be recalled to prison during the licence period if they fail to comply with their conditions. Only those prisoners serving a life sentence with a whole life tariff will spend their entire sentence in prison.
	The actual amount of time served in prison, following sentence, will depend on a number of factors, including time spent as a remand prisoner or credit for time spent on tagged bail if directed by the court, any added days for misbehaviour in prison and where release may be discretionary, for example on parole, home detention curfew or end of custody licence, if eligibility criteria are met-the end of custody licence scheme operated between June 2007 and March 2010, when it was brought to an end.

Prisoners: Compensation

Philip Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice on how many occasions his Department has settled out of court a claim for compensation made by a prison inmate in each of the last three years.

Crispin Blunt: There is no central record of all prisoner claims brought against the Ministry of Justice and to attempt to provide the information would incur significant disproportionate cost. However, claims against the Prison Service part of the National Offender Management Service are recorded centrally. Those figures show that 333, 409 and 322 prisoner claims were settled out of court in 2007-08, 2008-09 and 2009-10 respectively.

Prisoners: Drugs

Helen Grant: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many inmates  (a) nationally and  (b) at HMP Maidstone have been reprimanded for offences involving the use of drugs while in prison in the last 12 months.

Crispin Blunt: Prisoners are reprimanded for misusing drugs through the prison discipline system when identified through the prisons Mandatory Drug Testing (MDT) programme. The following table gives the number in 2009 punished for the offence of "unauthorised use of a controlled drug".
	
		
			  Adjudication offence: "unauthorised use of a controlled drug" number of offences punished in 2009 
			   Number 
			 All prisons England and Wales 6,480 
			 Maidstone 60 
		
	
	Prisoners may also be punished in other circumstances for drug offences, for example, as a result of cell searches, social visits and in circumstances where use cannot be proven.
	All figures have been drawn from administrative data systems. Although care is taken when processing and analysing the returns, the detail collected is subject to the inaccuracies inherent in any large scale recording system. The data are not subject to audit.

Prisoners: Education

Helen Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice 
	(1)  what steps he is taking to increase the number of prisoners who are able to undertake education in prison; and if he will make a statement;
	(2)  what his policy is on the use of distance learning for short-term prisoners; and what steps he is taking to increase the availability of such courses to prisoners.

Crispin Blunt: A review on offender education led jointly by the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills and the Ministry of Justice is currently under way and is due to report to Ministers before Christmas. I expect the review to address issues such as the efficiency of education delivery, how best to maximise the number of prisoners who are able to undertake education in prison and the use of distance learning and other non-classroom based learning.

Prisoners: Fees and Charges

Mark Pritchard: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice if he will introduce means-tested charges for prisoners in England and Wales to cover the cost of their housing and food.

Crispin Blunt: The Prison Act 1952 prevents prisoners being required to finance the cost of their prison sentence. Section 51 of the Act requires that all expenses incurred maintaining both prisons and prisoners must be met from public funds. As part of the Rehabilitation and Sentencing Green Paper the Government are exploring the implementation of the Prisoners' Earnings Act 1996 in respect of financial reparation to victims.

Prisoners: Mobile Phones

Helen Grant: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many inmates  (a) nationally and  (b) at HMP Maidstone have been reprimanded for offences involving the use of mobile telephones whilst in prison in the last 12 months.

Crispin Blunt: NOMS does not hold centrally information on the number of disciplinary proceedings taken against prisoners using mobile phones. To provide the information requested would require a detailed investigation into all locally held records, which would incur disproportionate cost.

Prisons: Education

Priti Patel: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what qualifications are available for prisoners to undertake; how many prisoners took part in a course to attain each type of qualification in each of the last five years; and how many and what proportion of prisoners completed each course in each year for which figures are available.

Crispin Blunt: There are a wide range of qualifications available in prisons. The majority of these are delivered by the Offender Learning and Skills Service (OLASS) funded and contracted by the Skills Funding Agency. The curriculum varies in all prisons depending on identified learning need.
	In addition to basic literacy and numeracy 'Skills for Life' qualifications, further training opportunities, classroom based and vocational, are available to support individuals who have employment aspirations and where their Individual Learning and Sentence Plans recommend that they engage in training.
	Qualifications offered include those on the Qualifications and Credit Framework (QCF) giving learners the opportunity to achieve credits that contribute to a full nationally recognised qualification.
	The Skills Funding Agency is able to provide information on the number of learners engaged in learning and skills provision funded by the Skills Funding Agency (formerly the Learning and Skills Council) and the type of aims enrolled, completed and achieved from the Individualised Learner Records (ILR) in the 2006-07 academic year (August 06 to July 07), the 2007-08 academic year (August 07 to July 08) and the 2008-09 academic year (August 08 to July 09) by aim types.
	In the 2006-07 academic year, there were 92,371 learners engaged in learning and skills provision funded by the LSC. Table 1 shows that there were 240,045 learning aims enrolled upon by these learners and 43,457 (18%) of these aims were related to specific aim types. Completion rate for total aims were at 54% and achievement rate for the total aims were at 42%.
	
		
			  Table 1: 2006-07 F05 academic year ILR data (LSC funded provision): Includes custody and community aims enrolled by all learners There were 92,371 learners identified in the 2006-07 academic year who were engaged in the LSC funded provision 
			  Aim Type  Aims enrolled  % aims  Completed  % completed  Achieved  % achieved 
			 Access to HE 101 0 8 8 2 2 
			 GCE A/AS/A2 level 112 0 63 56 27 24 
			 GCSE 788 0 374 47 251 32 
			 GNVQ precursor 10 0 10 100 9 90 
			 GNVQ/AVCE 11 0 - 0 - 0 
			 NVQ 989 0 426 43 357 36 
			 OCN 41,446 17 22,608 55 17,035 41 
			 Other 196,588 82 105,751 54 84,299 43 
			 Grand Total 240,045 100 129,240 54 101,980 42 
			  Source:  2006-07 ILR 
		
	
	In the 2007-08 academic year, there were 115,807 learners engaged in learning and skills provision in custody. There were 299,300 learning aims engaged by these learners and 48,323 (16%) of these aims were related to specific aim types. Completion rate for total aims with specific aim types were at 57% and achievement rate for those aims were at 49%.
	
		
			  Table 2: 2007-08 F05 academic year ILR data (LSC funded provision in custody): Includes custody enrolled by all learners: There were 115,807 learners in custody identified in the  2007- 08 academic year who were engaged in LSC funded provision. 
			  Aim Type  Aims enrolled  % Aims  Completed  % completed  Achieved  % Achieved 
			 Access to HE 45 0 10 22 7 16 
			 GCE A/AS/A2 level 264 0 63 24 64 24 
			 GCSE 1,194 0 491 41 386 32 
			 GNVQ precursor 4 0 2 50 2 50 
			 GNVQ/AVCE 4 0 - 0 0 0 
			 NVQ 2,224 1 1,270 57 1,139 51 
			 OCN 44,588 15 25,657 58 21,526 48 
			 Other 250,977 84 143,658 57 123,564 49 
			 Grand Total 299,300 100 171,171 57 146,688 49 
			  Source:  2007-08 ILR 
		
	
	In the 2008-09 academic year, there were 98,324 learners engaged in learning and skills provision in custody. There were 243,182 learning aims engaged by these learners and 37,780 (16%) of these aims were related to specific aim types. Completion rate for total aims were 59% and achievement rate for the same group of aims were at 51%.
	
		
			  Table 3: 2008-09 F05 Full academic year ILR data ( LSC funded provision in custody): Includes custody aims enrolled by all learners-there were 98,324 learners in custody identified in the 2008-09 academic year who were engaged in LSC funded provision. 
			  Aim Type  Aims enrolled  % aims  Completed  % completed  Achieved  % achieved 
			 Access to HE 13 0 63 485 0 0 
			 GCE A/AS/A2 level 190 0 48 25 25 13 
			 GCSE 827 0 310 37 193 23 
			 GNVQ precursor 77 0 46 60 44 57 
			 NVQ 2,639 1 1,125 43 981 37 
			 OCN 34,034 14 20,607 61 16,739 49 
			 Other 205,402 84 121,596 59 106,016 52 
			 Grand Total 243,182 100 143,732 59 123,998 51 
			  Notes: 1. The data above includes data for those learners who are aged 15-17. 2. The ILR for 2006-07 academic year data provided may include a small amount of enrolments by those who are serving their sentence in the community.  Source:  2008-09 Full academic year ILR 
		
	
	Information relating to non-OLASS qualifications is not held centrally by NOMS.
	A review on offender education led jointly by the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills and the Ministry of Justice is currently underway and is due to report to Ministers before Christmas. I expect the review to address issues such as the efficiency of education delivery, the types of qualifications made available to prisoners and the measurement of both participation and completion of various qualifications.
	Joint work is also underway with the Skills Funding Agency to improve analysis of both participation and completion data across different types of qualifications.

Prisons: Education

Priti Patel: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what his latest estimate is of spending from the public purse on education services for prisoners in each of the next five years.

Crispin Blunt: Responsibility for the funding of prisoner education rests with the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS). BIS is still working through the detail of the comprehensive spending review and information will be announced as soon as possible.
	In 2010-11, BIS plans to spend £168 million(1) on offender learning in English public sector prisons.
	(1 )Excludes spend associated with the employment of Heads of Learning and Skills in prisons, libraries and higher education in public sector prisons in England.

Prisons: Food

Priti Patel: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what the average calorific value was of food served to  (a) male and  (b) female prisoners each day in the latest period for which figures are available.

Crispin Blunt: Information relating to the average daily calorie count in food served to prisoners is not recorded centrally.
	The National Offender Management Service Catering Operating Manual includes advice and guidance for specific consumer groups published by the Food Standards Agency-'Guidance on Food Served to Adults in Major Institutions'. This guidance recommends 2,043 (kcals) per day for adult males and 1,574 (kcals) for adult females.

Prisons: Food

Priti Patel: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what the cost of meeting each type of special dietary requirement in prison establishments was in the latest period for which figures are available; and how many prisoners were recorded as having each type of special dietary requirement in the latest period for which figures are available.

Crispin Blunt: Prisons offer a range of meals that enable prisoners to make preferred choices using a multi-choice menu system, including meals suited to their dietary, religious or cultural needs, including kosher, halal, vegetarian, vegan and other dietary requirements. Menu choices should reflect the establishment's population ethnicity.
	Information relating to the cost of providing all the different types of meals is not recorded centrally and is included within the overall prison food budgets.
	For 2009-10, the last full financial year for which figures are available, the average public sector Prison Service daily food cost per prisoner in England and Wales was £2.20(1).
	(1 )The daily food cost has been calculated using available management information from NOMS finance systems and assumes that all transactions have been allocated and recorded against the correct accounting codes.

Prisons: Food

Priti Patel: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what proportion of the food purchased for prisoners was wasted in each year since 1997; and what the monetary value was of the food wasted.

Crispin Blunt: While this information is not collected centrally the National Offender Management Service does nonetheless take its commitment for effective waste management seriously. To assist in reducing food waste we consider it essential that all food waste from prison serveries is recorded, costed and analysed locally, at least on a weekly basis.
	Prison Service Instruction 41/2003 sets out the Sustainable Development policy and strategy for public sector prisons. Integral to the waste management component of this strategy has been the introduction of in-vessel composting technology at 50 prisons with the objective of realising the economical value of waste food by processing it into usable product. These initiatives also support the prison's performance in meeting the "Sustainable Operations on the Government Estate" targets.

Prisons: Video Games

Helen Grant: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many inmates  (a) at HMP Maidstone and  (b) on the prison estate have access to (i) games consoles and (ii) televisions.

Crispin Blunt: Access to in-cell television is a key earnable privilege and available to prisoners who are on the standard or enhanced level of the Incentives and Earned Privileges (IEP) scheme. Eligible prisoners pay a rental amount of a £1 per set per week.
	Access to games consoles is restricted to prisoners who are on the enhanced level of the IEP scheme. Since 23 July 2008, no public funds have been used to purchase games consoles or games for adult prisoners. They must be purchased by the prisoner or his/her family or friends.
	As of 30 September, 593 prisoners at HM Prison Maidstone were on the standard or enhanced levels of the IEP scheme and therefore eligible to rent a TV set and 386 were on the enhanced level and eligible to have a games console of their own in their possession. The equivalent figures for the prison estate as a whole were 83,017 and 36,202 respectively.
	To establish how many of those eligible actually had a games console of their own would necessitate asking each prisoner individually at disproportionate cost.

Prisons: Violence

Mike Wood: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many offenders in each prison establishment committed an assault on  (a) another offender and  (b) a prison officer in the last 12 months; and if he will make a statement.

Crispin Blunt: The National Offender Management Service (NOMS) holds prison-level data on the numbers of assault incidents rather than the number of prisoners involved or whether a prisoner is involved in multiple incidents. This information could be obtained only by examining local records manually at disproportionate cost.
	The following table gives numbers of prisoner-on-prisoner assaults by establishment. The figures for prisons with less than six incidents are omitted in accordance with NOMS data protection policy, as this could enable individuals to be identified.
	
		
			  Recorded prisoner-on-prisoner assaults by prison, October 2009 to September 2010( 1) 
			  Prison  Number 
			 Acklington 69 
			 Altcourse 259 
			 Ashfield 362 
			 Ashwell 8 
			 Askham Grange - 
			 Aylesbury 206 
			 Bedford 88 
			 Belmarsh 36 
			 Birmingham 90 
			 Blundeston 37 
			 Brinsford 48 
			 Bristol 52 
			 Brixton 83 
			 Bronzefield 75 
			 Buckley Hall 30 
			 Bullingdon 87 
			 Bullwood Hall 11 
			 Bure 10 
			 Canterbury 34 
			 Cardiff 12 
			 Castington 247 
			 Channings Wood 48 
			 Chelmsford 139 
			 Coldingley 18 
			 Cookham Wood 131 
			 Dartmoor 25 
			 Deerbolt 251 
			 Doncaster 201 
			 Dorchester 26 
			 Dovegate 104 
			 Dover Immigration Removal Centre 36 
			 Downview 21 
			 Drake Hall 24 
			 Durham 96 
			 Eastwood Park 25 
			 Edmunds Hill 36 
			 Elmley 64 
			 Erlestoke 27 
			 Everthorpe 59 
			 Exeter 68 
			 Featherstone 49 
			 Feltham 641 
			 Ford - 
			 Forest Bank 224 
			 Foston Hall 10 
			 Frankland 52 
			 Full Sutton 52 
			 Garth 57 
			 Gartree 8 
			 Glen Parva 389 
			 Gloucester 46 
			 Grendon/Spring Hill-Grendon - 
			 Giendon/Spring Hill-Spring Hill - 
			 Guys Marsh 54 
			 Haslar - 
			 Haverigg 54 
			 High Down 115 
			 Highpoint 57 
			 Hindley 255 
			 Hewell 147 
			 Holloway 33 
			 Holme House 102 
			 Hull 92 
			 Huntercombe 148 
			 IOW-Albany 21 
			 IOW-Camp Hill 49 
			 IOW-Parkhurst 35 
			 Kennet 24 
			 Kingston - 
			 Kirklevington - 
			 Lancaster - 
			 Lancaster Castle - 
			 Lancaster Farms 223 
			 Latchmere House - 
			 Leeds 75 
			 Leicester 45 
			 Lewes 76 
			 Leyhill - 
			 Lincoln 61 
			 Lindholme 44 
			 Littlehey 58 
			 Liverpool 217 
			 Long Lartin 35 
			 Low Newton 47 
			 Lowdham Grange 35 
			 Maidstone 10 
			 Manchester 146 
			 Moorland 85 
			 Moorland Open (Hatfield) - 
			 Morton Hall 16 
			 Mount 57 
			 New Hall 24 
			 North Sea Camp 8 
			 Northallerton 94 
			 Norwich 43 
			 Nottingham 58 
			 Onley 126 
			 Parc 362 
			 Pentonville 215 
			 Peterborough 231 
			 Portland 137 
			 Preston 108 
			 Ranby 77 
			 Reading 45 
			 Risley 61 
			 Rochester 209 
			 Rye Hill 25 
			 Send 14 
			 Sheppey-Elmley 30 
			 Sheppey-Standford Hill - 
			 Sheppey-Swaleside 21 
			 Shrewsbury 16 
			 Stafford 69 
			 Standford Hill - 
			 Stocken 53 
			 Stoke Heath 417 
			 Stya1 28 
			 Swaleside 28 
			 Swansea 16 
			 Swinfen Hall 86 
			 Thorn Cross 19 
			 Usk\Prescoed 9 
			 Verne 13 
			 Wakefield 35 
			 Wandsworth 70 
			 Warren Hill 271 
			 Wayland 70 
			 Wealstun 34 
			 Wellingborough 87 
			 Werrington 144 
			 Wetherby 392 
			 Wharton 14 
			 Whitemoor 35 
			 Winchester 34 
			 Wolds 33 
			 Woodhill 62 
			 Wormwood Scrubs 148 
			 Wymott 46 
			 (1) Numbers less than 6 are not provided. 
		
	
	The latest data on assaults by prisoners on staff covering the years 2000 to 2009 are published on the MoJ website at:
	http://www.justice.gov.uk/publications/docs/safety-custody-assaults-statistics-0710.xls
	The figures for 2010 will be available in early 2011.
	Violence in prisons is not tolerated. NOMS is working with the police and the Crown Prosecution Service to ensure that perpetrators of violence in prisons are dealt with through the courts where is appropriate to do so.

Prisons: Visits

Philip Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what funding his Department provided to families to visit prison inmates in the last 12 months.

Crispin Blunt: The amount spent on assisted prison visits in the financial year 2009-10 was £2,343,132. In the last 12 calendar months, October 2009 to September 2010 the amount was £2,261,505. This excludes administration costs.

Rape: Sentencing

Andrew Stephenson: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what the average length of sentence handed down to a person convicted of rape was in each of the last five years.

Crispin Blunt: The average custodial sentence length (ACSL) for rape offences in England and Wales in each year since 2005 can be found in the following table. ACSL excludes life/indeterminate sentences.
	
		
			  Average custodial sentence length (ACSL)( 1)  (months) for rape offences( 2) , England and Wales, 2005 - 09( 4, 5) 
			   2005  2006  2007  2008  2009 
			 Average custodial sentence length 81.7 81.1 85.4 90.3 95.7 
			   
			 Number of determinate sentences 673 602 607 669 759 
			 Number of indeterminate sentences(3) 74 202 214 196 182 
			 Total sentenced to immediate custody 47 804 821 865 941 
			 (1) ACSL excludes life/indeterminate sentences. (2) Includes attempted rape. (3) Life sentences and indeterminate sentences for public protection. (4 )The figures given in the table relate to persons for whom these offences were the principal offences for which they were dealt with. When a defendant has been found guilty of two or more offences it is the offence for which the heaviest penalty is imposed. Where the same disposal is imposed for two or more offences, the offence selected is the offence for which the statutory maximum penalty is the most severe. (5) Every effort is made to ensure that the figures presented are accurate and complete. However, it is important to note that these data have been extracted from large administrative data systems generated by the courts and police forces. As a consequence, care should be taken to ensure data collection processes and their inevitable limitations are taken into account when those data are used.  Source: Justice Statistics-Analytical Services, Ministry of Justice

FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS

China: Foreign Investment in UK

Dan Byles: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent discussions he has had with the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills on attracting direct investment from China to the UK.

Jeremy Browne: My right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary discussed China with the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, and other Ministers, on 1 November 2010 ahead of my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister's and other ministerial visits to China later this week. The Government are committed to expanding relations with China. Encouraging further investment from China into the UK, as well as UK investment in China, will be a significant element of the Prime Minister's visit.

Colombia

Jim McGovern: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent reports he has received on the release of Carmelo Agamez from prison in Colombia.

Jeremy Browne: We have not received any reports of the release of Mr Agamez. A number of individuals who had been detained as part of the same investigation as Mr Agamez were released on 9 October 2009 but he remains in prison. On 25 October 2010 the Colombian Attorney-General's office informed our embassy in Bogota that Mr Agamez's case had been sent to the specialised circuit of the Penal Court of Sincelejo in the province of Sucre on 10 September.
	Our embassy in Bogota has made numerous representations in respect of Mr Agamez's case. These include a letter on 5 March to former Vice President Francisco Santos and another on 27 August to the Presidential Programme on Human Rights and International Humanitarian Law. On 9 September (Colombian Human Rights Day) the Deputy Head of Mission at our embassy in Bogota took part in an Oxfam GB event as part of their campaign on human rights defenders. The case of Mr Agamez was one of the main issues discussed.

Colombia

Jim McGovern: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent reports he has received of allegations of collaboration by elements of the Colombian Army in drugs trafficking in Guaviare and Vichada provinces.

Jeremy Browne: On 17 October a professional soldier accused other members of the Colombian armed forces of involvement in drug trafficking in Guaviare and Vichada. The allegations included accepting payments from the illegal paramilitary group Ejército Revolucionario Popular Anticomunista Colombiano to maintain trafficking routes; use of the proceeds by one colonel to establish his own drug laboratory; and extra-judicial killings. The Human Rights Unit of the Attorney-General's Office is conducting an investigation into the allegations.

Colombia

Jim McGovern: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent reports he has received on the number of people subject to forced displacement who have been killed in Colombia in the last three years; and if he will make a statement.

Jeremy Browne: According to Government of Colombia figures 317 internally displaced persons were killed in 2007, 363 in 2008 and 553 in 2009. These figures equate to 1.9%, 2.4% and 3.1% respectively of the total number of homicides in that year.
	Officially Colombia has 3.3 million internally displaced people, although the real figure is more likely to be around 4.5 million. This is the second highest rate in the world. Indigenous and Afro-Colombian communities are particularly vulnerable, mainly because they occupy land of strategic importance to guerrilla groups, cocaine cultivation or narco-trafficking.
	In 2009 the Government of Colombia reported a 56% reduction in the forced displaced population and estimated that 80% had access to basic health services. We are working with Colombia to help improve the situation of internally displaced people.

Colombia

Jim McGovern: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent reports he has received of the number of active trade union members who were killed in Colombia in 2010.

Jeremy Browne: Government of Colombia figures show that 19 trade union members were killed between 1 January and 17 June. This compares with 28 in the whole of 2009 and 196 in 2002. The UK is concerned about the safety of trade unionists in Colombia. We regularly raise our concerns with the Colombian Government.

Colombia

David Anderson: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what estimate his Department has made of the number of indigenous people killed in Colombia in 2010; what discussions he has had with the UN Special Rapporteur on Indigenous Rights on that matter; and if he will make a statement.

Jeremy Browne: My Department has not made an estimate of the number of indigenous people killed in 2010. Figures from the National Indigenous Organisation of Colombia suggest that at least 114 indigenous women, men and children were killed in 2009.
	Our embassy in Bogota funded the visit of UN Special Rapporteur James Anaya to Colombia in July 2009. During his visit Mr Anaya congratulated the government for the "significant initiatives" undertaken, particularly in the area of health and education, to improve the difficult situation faced by the indigenous community.
	However, significant obstacles remain in the effort to realise the rights of indigenous people, particularly in the areas of land rights, forced displacement, nutrition, threats and murders. Officials at our embassy in Bogota have visited a number of indigenous communities to show support and hear at first hand about the difficulties they face. This has included visits to the Awa community in Narino and the Emberas community in Choco. Our embassy is also funding a project to enhance the judicial system and combat impunity in Cauca. Indigenous communities here represent 21.5% of the entire indigenous population in Colombia and are the victims of most human rights abuses.

Departmental Sick Leave

Mike Freer: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs for how many days on average his Department's staff in each pay grade were absent from work as a result of ill health in 2009-10.

Alistair Burt: Information is available only for Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) staff in the UK. Information for FCO staff overseas is available only at disproportionate cost.
	The number of days on average staff in each paid grade were absent from work as a result of ill health in 2009-10 are:
	
		
			  Average working days lost 
			  Grade equivalent  Number 
			 AA 8.6 
			 AO 8.9 
			 EO 5.0 
			 HEA 3.8 
			 SEO 4.3 
			 G7 3.2 
			 G6 1.7 
			 SCS 1.0 
			 Unknown 5.3

Departmental Sick Leave

Priti Patel: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what estimate he made of the cost to his Department of sickness absence in each year since 1997.

Alistair Burt: Information requested is available only for Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) staff in the UK. Information for FCO staff overseas is available only at disproportionate cost.
	Relevant comprehensive central records are held by the FCO only for the financial years 2007-08, 2008-09 and 2009-10. The nominal salary cost to the FCO of days lost through sickness in each of these years is broken down as follows:
	
		
			   £ 
			 2007-08 5,124,042.40 
			 2008-09 4,496,243.20 
			 2009-10 5,175,747.30 
		
	
	Details for the previous years are not held centrally or available in the form requested and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.
	Under our sickness absence management policy and procedures, staff are required to enter details of any sickness absences they have on our online human resources system. Line managers are then required to verify that the absences have been correctly entered. This measure is in place to ensure we have an accurate record of sickness absence and are able to deal promptly with cases of excessive sick leave. Staff who fail to follow correct sickness absence procedures could face disciplinary action under the FCO Misconduct Procedures guidelines.

European Union: Fines

Priti Patel: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what financial penalties are under consideration by the EU in relation to non-compliance by the UK with EU policies; what the value of those potential penalties is; and if he will make a statement.

Justine Greening: I have been asked to reply.
	Provision already exists under Article 126(11) of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union for the imposition of financial penalties on euro-area member states which are considered to be in excessive deficit and fail to comply with the Council's recommendations under the EU's Stability and Growth Pact. These cannot be applied to the UK since we are not a member of the euro-area. Moreover, our Protocol to the Treaty precludes use of any sanctions against the UK under this process.
	The European Commission has recently published legislative proposals which create additional sanctions to encourage compliance by member states with the Stability and Growth Pact and the EU's Broad Economic Policy Guidelines. There are a variety of possible sanctions, extending up to fines of more than 0.2% of a member state's GDP for serious and repeated breaches of the Stability and Growth Pact. However, the draft proposals for sanctions relate only to euro-area member states and thus do not apply to the UK.

Gaza: Human Rights

Michael Ellis: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent assessment he has made of freedom of speech and the treatment of journalists in the Gaza Strip.

Alistair Burt: The UK is concerned by the treatment of Gazan journalists in recent months. This includes a violent attack against one journalist.
	We recognise the rights of Palestinians under international law to freedom of expression, peaceful assembly and freedom of association.
	We will support effective international efforts to address impunity for attacks on journalists and practices which curtail the right to freedom of opinion and expression.

Palestinians: International Assistance

Richard Graham: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent discussions he has had with the government of Israel on the importation of building materials into Gaza.

Alistair Burt: The UK welcomes the measures Israel announced in June to improve the flow of goods into Gaza. According to the UN in May, prior to the Israeli announcement, there were 2,794 trucks allowed into Gaza compared to 3,569 in September. However, this still falls significantly short of the required amount and we believe that more needs to be done to ensure full implementation and deliver real change on the ground. We continue to discuss these issues with the Government of Israel and the UN Relief and Works Agency.

Tajikistan: Religious Freedom

Mark Pritchard: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make representations to his counterpart in Tajikistan about the protection of religious freedom in that country.

David Lidington: We and our EU partners maintain a dialogue with the Government of Tajikistan on a range of human rights issues, including freedom of religion. The Permanent Under-Secretary of the Foreign and Commonwealth Office raised human rights with Foreign Minister Zarifi on 3 November during a visit to Tajikistan. We also raised issues of concern through the Organisation for Security and Co-operation in Europe and the EU, including during the annual EU-Tajikistan Human Rights Dialogue. In doing so, we encourage the Tajik Government to act in accordance with its international obligations.

Tajikistan: Religious Freedom

Mark Pritchard: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make representations to his counterpart in Tajikistan on levels of regulation and administrative burdens on religious organisations in that country.

David Lidington: We will continue to raise issues of human rights concern with the Government of Tajikistan-including those relating to freedom of religion-both bilaterally and through key international fora such as the EU and Organisation for Security and Co-operation in Europe. We also stand ready to assist Tajikistan as it embarks on its first Universal Periodic Review in the UN Human Rights Council in 2011. This is a comprehensive mechanism for reviewing the overall human rights records of UN member states.

Turkmenistan: Prisoners

Mark Pritchard: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make representations to the government of Turkmenistan to enable international observers to provide medical support to Annakurban Amanklychev and Sapardurdy Khadzhiev.

David Lidington: We work closely with EU and other international partners on issues of human rights concern in Turkmenistan. The individual cases of Annakurban Amanklychev and Sapardurdy Khadzhiev were among those raised with the Turkmen authorities during the most recent annual EU-Turkmenistan Human Rights Dialogue that took place in June. The EU encouraged the Turkmen authorities to allow access to medical treatment.

Turkmenistan: Prisoners

Mark Pritchard: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make representations to the government of Turkmenistan to increase the frequency of family visits for Annakurban Amanklychev and Sapardurdy Khadzhiev.

David Lidington: The cases of Mr Amanklychev and Mr Khadzhiev were raised with the Turkmen authorities during the annual EU-Turkmenistan Human Rights Dialogue in June 2010. In doing so, the EU stressed the importance of allowing visits by families to individuals in detention.

Turkmenistan: Prisoners

Mark Pritchard: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make representations to the government of Turkmenistan for the release of Annakurban Amanklychev and Sapardurdy Khadzhiev.

David Lidington: The EU raised the issue of a possible amnesty for Mr Amanklychev and Mr Khadzhiev with the Turkmen authorities during the most recent EU-Turkmenistan Human Rights Dialogue. We will continue to look for opportunities to encourage the Turkmen authorities to review their cases, to allow proper access to medical treatment, and to ensure that they benefit from adequate contact with their families.

Uganda: Politics and Government

Mike Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions he has had with the Ugandan government on the report of the Public Accounts Committee of the Ugandan Parliament on the abuse by government officials of funds allocated by his Department for the hosting of the 2007 Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting; and if he will make a statement.

Henry Bellingham: My Department did not allocate funds for the hosting of the 2007 Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM).
	We have made clear our concerns about the allegations of abuse of Ugandan Government funds budgeted for CHOGM. The Uganda Parliament is currently debating the Public Accounts Committee's CHOGM report. We will continue to urge the relevant Ugandan authorities to ensure that action is taken on the issues raised by the Committee and by Uganda's Auditor-General in his audits of CHOGM expenditure.

Uganda: Politics and Government

Mike Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs pursuant to the answer of 25 October 2010,  Official Report, columns 25-6W, on Uganda: politics and government, what reports he has received on  (a) the 22 October 2010 incident at the Electoral Commission following the visit by Dr Kizza Besigye and  (b) the statement by Dr Besigye on the steps his party will take if the 2011 election is rigged; and if he will make a statement.

Henry Bellingham: I have received reports that Dr Besigye was denied entry to the offices of the Electoral Commission on 22 October. I understand that Mr Besigye has also said that the opposition parties he represents will announce their own election results rather than trust those declared by the Electoral Commission.
	I have made the point to members of both the Government and Opposition parties in Uganda (including President Museveni and the Leader of the Opposition in Parliament) that all political parties need to engage peacefully and responsibly in the electoral process. Our high commission in Kampala is continuously engaged with representatives of all parties, and in addition has urged the Electoral Commission and police to fulfil their responsibilities impartially.

UK Membership of EU

Dan Byles: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent estimate he has made of the total annual gross cost to  (a) the public purse and  (b) the UK economy as a result of the UK's membership of the European Union.

Justine Greening: I have been asked to reply.
	The UK's projected gross contribution to the EU budget in 2010-11, after the UK abatement, is £12.5 billion. These figures can be found in the latest Public Expenditure Statistical Analysis document (see Table C1, page 176) at:
	http://www.hm-treasury.gov.uk/d/pesa_2010_complete.pdf
	The Treasury reviews, as part of its analysis of the EU economy, a wide range of studies by external commentators that attempt to assess the costs and benefits of EU membership.

UK Membership of EU

Dan Byles: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what estimate he has made of the total annual net cost or benefit to  (a) the public purse and  (b) the UK economy as a result of the UK's membership of the EU.

Justine Greening: I have been asked to reply.
	The projected UK net contribution to the EU Budget in 2010-11, after the UK abatement and after public sector receipts from the EU Budget, is £7.7 billion. . These figures can be found in the latest Public Expenditure Statistical Analysis document (see Table C1, page 176) at:
	http://www.hm-treasury.gov.uk/d/pesa_2010_complete.pdf
	The Treasury reviews, as part of its analysis of the EU economy, a wide range of studies by external commentators that attempt to assess the costs and benefits of EU membership.

LEADER OF THE HOUSE

Early-Day Motions

Paul Beresford: To ask the Leader of the House how many early-day motions were tabled in each Session since Session 1992-93.

George Young: The information is shown in the following table.
	
		
			  Session  Total number of EDMs tabled 
			 1992-93 2,595 
			 1993-94 1,705 
			 1994-95 1,591 
			 1995-96 1,259 
			 1996-97 728 
			 1997-98 1,774 
			 1998-99 1,011 
			 1999-2000 1,201 
			 2000-01 659 
			 2001-02 1,864 
			 2002-03 1,950 
			 2003-04 1,954 
			 2004-05 1,033 
			 2005-06 2,924 
			 2006-07 2,196 
			 2007-08 2,560 
			 2008-09 2,272 
			 2009-10 1,248 
			 2010-11 (As at 2 November 2010) 949 
		
	
	The total number of early-day motions (EDMs) tabled each Session is published in the House's Sessional Returns, available at:
	http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm/cmsesret.htm
	A searchable database of EDMs is available at:
	http://edmi.parliament.uk/edmi/
	For some Sessions, the totals given include one or two EDMs which were tabled and withdrawn on the same sitting day, and so were given an EDM number but never appeared in print.
	Sessions 1996-97, 2000-01, 2004-05 and 2009-10 were short, pre-general election Sessions; Sessions 1992-93, 1997-98, 2001-02 and 2005-06 were long, post-general election Sessions.

Early-Day Motions

Paul Beresford: To ask the Leader of the House how many hon. Members did not sign a single early- day motion in  (a) Session 2009-10 and  (b) Session 2010-11 to date.

George Young: The information is shown in the following table:
	
		
			  Hon. Members who did not sign a single early-day motion 
			  Session  Number 
			 2009-10 146 
			 2010-11 (as at 4 November 2010) 204 
		
	
	In addition to Back-Bench Members who do not wish to sign early-day motions, this figure would include the Speaker and Deputy Speakers as well as Government Ministers and Whips and members of the Opposition parties' Front-Bench teams who do not sign early-day motions as a matter of convention.
	At the start of the current Parliament and following a request from the Procedure Committee, the Table Office introduced a facility for Members who did not wish to sign any early-day motions to place a general block on their names being added to an early-day motion. 12 Members have made use of this facility so far this session.

Early-Day Motions

Paul Beresford: To ask the Leader of the House how many early-day motions, other than motions praying against a statutory instrument, were subsequently moved by the original sponsor on the floor of the House in each session since session 2005-06.

George Young: No early-day motions (EDMs), other than motions praying against a statutory instrument, have been subsequently moved by the original sponsor on the Floor of the House in any session since session 2005-06.
	The text of an EDM has on occasion been adopted for use in a motion moved by a Member who was not the original sponsor. This occurred most recently in the case of the subsidiarity motion relating to draft directive to amend the Investor Compensation Schemes Directive, which was originally tabled as EDM 820 sponsored by the hon. Member for Stone (Mr Cash) on 14 October 2010 and was subsequently moved on the Floor of the House on 25 October 2010 by the Government. On 8 January 2008, the text of an EDM on higher education was used for an Opposition Day motion.
	There are historical examples of EDMs being debated on rare occasions. It would be open to the Backbench Business Committee to find time for an EDM to be debated and moved on the Floor of the House by the original sponsor.

Early-Day Motions

Paul Beresford: To ask the Leader of the House how many early-day motions tabled attracted  (a) 200 signatures or more and  (b) fewer than 10 signatures in each Session since Session 2005-06.

George Young: The information is shown in the following table:
	
		
			  Session  Number of EDMs with 200 signatures or more  Number of EDMs with fewer than 10 signatures 
			 2005-06 55 152 
			 2006-07 30 136 
			 2007-08 27 223 
			 2008-09 33 152 
			 2009-10 49 118 
			 2010-11 (as at  3 November 2010) 3 166 
		
	
	All EDMs since the start of the 1989-90 Session are available on the internet at:
	http://edmi.parliament.uk/edmi/
	which includes the full text as well as the number of signatures. EDMs before this Session are held in the parliamentary archives.
	The most signatures recorded on an EDM was in the 2001-02 Session to Malcolm Savidge's motion on the need to avoid conflict between India and Pakistan, which attracted 502 signatures. Previously the record was 482 signatures for an EDM on service pensions tabled in 1964 by Sir Robert Cary. The House of Commons Library factsheet on EDMs provides a list of EDMs since 1939 which have attracted 300 or more signatures.

DEPUTY PRIME MINISTER

House of Lords: Reform

Jesse Norman: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what representations he has received from  (a) academics and  (b) other constitutional experts on his proposals for reform of the House of Lords.

Mark Harper: To date, one letter has been received from an academic. The Government's detailed proposals for reform of the House of Lords will be published in a draft Bill early next year. It is anticipated that this will generate interest from many quarters including from constitutional experts and other academics.

Voting Rights: Prisoners

William Cash: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister pursuant to the oral answer to the right hon. Member for Tooting (Sadiq Khan) of 2 November 2010,  Official Report, column 771, on prisoners right to vote, if he will make an assessment of the implications for his proposals to extend to prisoners the right to vote of the lecture given by the Lord Chief Justice on 17 March 2010, on the obligations of UK courts in respect of the European Court of Human Rights.

Mark Harper: The Lord Chief Justice's lecture refers to the duty on domestic courts to take relevant judgments of the European Court of Human Rights into account. This duty is set out in section 2 of the Human Rights Act 1998.
	This does not change the fact that the Government are obliged under the terms of the European Convention on Human Rights to abide by final judgments of the Strasbourg court to which they are a party. The Government therefore accept there is a need to amend the law following the Hirst judgment in 2005. The Government are actively considering this and work is continuing.

WOMEN AND EQUALITIES

Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination Against Women

Stephen Phillips: To ask the Minister for Women and Equalities what steps she is taking to ensure that the Government's undertakings in respect of the Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination Against Women are fulfilled.

Lynne Featherstone: The Government are strongly committed to fulfilling their international obligations under the Convention on the Elimination of all forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW), which is an essential tool to progress gender equality domestically and internationally.
	The Minister for Women and Equalities has recently written to her ministerial colleagues, including those in the devolved Administrations, and has asked her officials to write to the British Overseas Territories and Crown Dependencies. She highlighted the importance of CEDAW as a means of delivering gender equality; sought their support in promoting CEDAW within their Departments; and asked them for their cooperation and agreement in the preparation of the next report.
	The Government will be submitting the UK seventh CEDAW periodic report to the United Nations in May 2011, as scheduled and will fully engage in the Committee's examination process, expected in 2012.
	The Government Equalities Office, which is responsible for overseeing and promoting the delivery of UK commitments to CEDAW, has put in place mechanisms to consult with non-governmental organisations and women's organisations on the UK's progress on CEDAW.

Departmental Redundancy

Angela Eagle: To ask the Minister for Women and Equalities what estimate she has made of the number of redundancies at the Government Equalities Office arising from the spending reductions proposed in the comprehensive spending review.

Lynne Featherstone: Determining optimal workforce reforms in order to live within the Government Equalities Office spending review resource DEL settlement will be an ongoing process. Detailed decisions regarding the number of redundancies that may be required have yet to be finalised.

Departmental Redundancy

Angela Eagle: To ask the Minister for Women and Equalities what estimate she has made of the cost to the Government Equalities Office of staff redundancy in each of the next four years.

Lynne Featherstone: The Government Equality Office's (GEOs) budget covers the operations of the GEO and its surviving non-departmental public body, the Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC). The reduced role for the EHRC set out in the findings of the Public Bodies Review means that the Commission's workforce will reduce considerably over the next four years. GEOs staff will also reduce. No precise estimate of the costs of redundancies is possible given that the amounts payable are still to be decided and the numbers being made redundant will depend on other factors such as natural wastage.

Discrimination

Mark Pritchard: To ask the Minister for Women and Equalities if she will bring forward legislative proposals to create an offence of discrimination against those who have been physically disfigured.

Maria Miller: I have been asked to reply.
	Specific provisions in the Equality Act 2010 enable a person with a severe disfigurement (other than a tattoo or piercing) to gain the protection of the Act as a disabled person. The Equality Act 2010 makes it unlawful for a disabled person to be subjected to direct discrimination, indirect discrimination, or discrimination arising from disability. In addition it is a form of unlawful discrimination to fail to make a reasonable adjustment for a disabled person.
	In general, the civil courts and tribunals determine contraventions of the discrimination provisions in the Equality Act 2010. While there are certain criminal offences for particular situations, there are no plans to criminalise contraventions of the Act in general or in this particular case.

Equality Act 2010

Anne-Marie Morris: To ask the Minister for Women and Equalities what plans she has to implement the dual discrimination provisions of the Equality Act 2010.

Lynne Featherstone: The majority of the Equality Act was commenced on 1 October. The Government are considering how best to take forward the remainder of the Act, including the dual discrimination provisions, in the best way for business and others with rights and responsibilities under the Act.

Equality Act 2010

Dominic Raab: To ask the Minister for Women and Equalities what estimate she has made of the cost to the  (a) Government Equalities Office and  (b) Equality and Human Rights Commission of reviewing the publications listed in sections 2 and 3 of the draft Equality Act 2010 (Statutory Duties) Regulations 2011.

Lynne Featherstone: The Equality and Human Rights Commission will continue to monitor compliance with equality legislation, in line with its statutory requirements. No separate estimate has been made of the costs of reviewing documentation under these regulations as part of that work, although any costs will be contained within the spending settlement for the Government Equalities Office budget announced on 20 October. The purpose of these regulations is to promote transparency and democratic accountability. They will ensure citizens and civil society groups have the necessary data and evidence to hold public bodies to account, and to apply public pressure to drive a faster pace of change.

Equality Act 2010

Dominic Raab: To ask the Minister for Women and Equalities what estimate has she made of the cost to the public bodies affected arising from implementation of sections 2 and 3 of the draft Equality Act 2010 (Statutory Duties) Regulations 2011.

Lynne Featherstone: The Government estimate that implementing the new regulations will save public bodies around £17 million in the first year and £25 million each year thereafter, compared to the regulations they will replace. The consultation document on the draft regulations includes a regulatory impact assessment which sets out these savings in detail. The consultation document is available on the Government Equalities Office website at:
	www.equalities.gov.uk

LGBT History Month

Priti Patel: To ask the Minister for Women and Equalities how much the Government Equalities Office spent under each budget heading on the LGBT History Month event in February 2010.

Lynne Featherstone: The Government Equalities Office spent a total £3,768 on the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender History Month. These costs relate to the venue only.

TREASURY

AgustaWestland

Ian Lucas: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what representations he has received on financial assistance for AgustaWestland since his appointment.

Danny Alexander: holding answer 2 November 2010
	To the best of my knowledge, the Department has not received any representations on financial assistance for AgustaWestland since the election.

AgustaWestland

Ian Lucas: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether the assistance provided to AgustaWestland proposed in the spending review is a loan or a grant.

Danny Alexander: holding answer 2 November 2010
	The final form of the assistance is subject to detailed ongoing negotiations with the company.

Crown Currency Exchange

Anne-Marie Morris: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will take steps to assist those affected by the entry into administration of Crown Currency Exchange.

Mark Hoban: The administrators of Crown Currency Exchange are reviewing the position of customers who were left with outstanding orders. The administrators will contact customers to confirm that the completion of currency orders has been suspended and to provide details of the next steps in the administration process.
	The administrators will review Crown's trading operations, its financial position and the conduct of its directors. Once the administrators have reported, the Government will look closely at this case to see what lessons need to be learned from the failure of the company.

Departmental Early Retirement

Philip Davies: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many staff of  (a) his Department and  (b) its agencies have been offered enhanced early retirement packages in each of the last three years.

Justine Greening: The number of staff leaving HM Treasury and its agencies receiving enhanced terms under the Civil Service Compensation Scheme in the last three complete years for which figures are available are shown in the following table. Where information relates to staff numbers fewer than five, it is the Department's policy not to disclose data if this could lead to the identification of protected personal information about individual members of staff.
	
		
			  Department/agency  2007-08  2008-09  2009-10 
			 HM Treasury (1)- (1)- 0 
			 Debt Management Office 0 (1)- 0 
			 (1) Fewer than five.

EU Budget

Ian Davidson: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer from what budgets the share of the increase in the EU budget for 2011 which is attributable to the UK will be drawn.

Justine Greening: In accordance with European Communities Act (2008), UK contributions to the EU budget are paid directly from the Consolidated Fund. Discussions on the EU budget for 2011 are now in the conciliation process and no budget has yet been agreed.

Mental Health

Jo Swinson: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what assessment he has made of the recommendations relevant to his Department's policy responsibilities contained in the Foresight Report on Mental Capital and Wellbeing by the Government Office for Science; if he will ensure that his Department takes steps to promote well-being; if he will ensure that his Department's policy development process takes account of psychological research into subjective well-being; and if he will make a statement.

Justine Greening: The spending review prioritised spending on health, with funding for the NHS growing by 0.4% in real terms over the spending review period. This will allow for new policies to improve mental health and well-being, such as further expansion of access to talking therapies, including for the young and elderly, and additional investment in veterans' mental health services, as recommended by the Murrison review. More details will be set out in a mental health strategy which will be published early in the new year, informed by the Foresight Report on Mental Capital and Wellbeing and, as with all Government strategies, other sources of research into relevant areas.
	HM Treasury's Health and Safety Policy sets out a commitment to the prevention of work-related physical and mental ill-health. The Department supports the mental well-being of staff with welfare advice and counselling through a confidential, 24/7 helpline and communications on the prevention and management of stress in order to prevent mental ill-health.

Office for Budget Responsibility

Mary Creagh: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what contact  (a) Ministers and  (b) officials in his Department had with the Office for Budget Responsibility on (i) 29 June, (ii) 30 June and (iii) 1 July 2010.

Justine Greening: holding answer 19 July 2010
	The interim Office for Budget Responsibility (OBR) was established on 17 May 2010 to make an independent assessment of the public finances and the economy for the emergency Budget. The Budget Responsibility Committee (BRC) had direct control over the forecasts, made all the key judgments that drive the official projections, and had discretion over what material was published.
	Ministers did not meet with the BRC between 29 June and 1 July 2010. Members of the BRC met with Treasury Ministers on five occasions between May 2010 and middle of July 2010 to brief them on the OBR forecasts and provide advice on the permanent arrangements for the OBR forecasts and provide advice on the permanent arrangements for the OBR. Further details are set out in the National Audit Office report of the 22 June 2010.
	Treasury officials were in contact with the OBR on an ongoing basis as part of the process of forecast production and publication.

Office for Budget Responsibility

Caroline Lucas: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer for what reasons the preparation of an environmental sustainability assessment such as that contained in previous pre-Budget reports was not included in the remit for the Office for Budget Responsibility.

Justine Greening: The Office for Budget Responsibility (OBR) will have a duty to examine and report on the sustainability of the public finances, as set out in the Budget Responsibility and National Audit Bill. Beyond the reporting requirements set out in the Bill, the OBR will have complete discretion in the work it undertakes insofar as these relate to its duty and expertise to examine and report on the sustainability of the public finances.
	The Government will remain responsible for assessing environmental impacts of Government policy, including the requirement to consider and publish the environmental impacts of policy proposals as set out in Green Book guidance.

Public Expenditure

Nick Brown: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what assessment he has made of the merits of the sale of  (a) British Waterways,  (b) the Dartford Crossing,  (c) the Defence Storage and Distribution Agency,  (d) High Speed 1,  (e) the Land Registry,  (f) the Met Office,  (g) NATS,  (h) NHS Professionals,  (i) the Oil and Pipelines Agency-Government Pipeline and Storage System,  (j) Ordnance Survey,  (k) Public Forest Estate England,  (l) Public Sector Spectrum Holdings,  (m) The Queen Elizabeth II Conference Centre,  (n) The Royal Mint,  (o) the Student Loans Portfolio,  (p) The Tote,  (q) Trust Ports,  (r) URENCO,  (s) the Royal Mail,  (t) the 800MHz and 2.6GHz spectrum and  (u) other public sector parts of the spectrum suitable for mobile communication purposes.

Danny Alexander: Following an assessment, the Government have already made announcements regarding some of the assets outlined, some at the June Budget, and others at the spending review. By way of example, we have launched a full sale of High Speed 1 and introduced enabling legislation for Royal Mail. Decisions will be taken on NATS, the Student Loan Book and the Tote by Budget 2011.
	The Government assesses their holdings of assets on an ongoing basis, including all of the ones on the list. For commercial reasons we would not want to speculate on decisions the Government might reach with regards to any particular asset, as a result of our assessments.
	If the Government were to decide to pursue a transaction on any of these assets, an announcement would be made at an appropriate opportunity.

Public Expenditure

Stewart Hosie: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what plans he has for the future of end-year flexibility.

Danny Alexander: As set out in Spending Review 2010, the Government are abolishing the end-year flexibility scheme at the end of 2010-11, including all accumulated stocks, and replacing it with a new system from 2011-12 which will retain an incentive for Departments to avoid wasteful end-year spending and strengthen spending control. Further detail will be set out later this financial year in the Treasury's "Consolidated Budgeting Guidance".

Public Expenditure

Stewart Hosie: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what he expects the monetary value of end-year flexibility to be in each Department at the end of this financial year.

Danny Alexander: Table 6 of the "Public Expenditure 2009-10: Provisional Outturn White Paper" details the carry forward of notional DEL end-year flexibility (EYF) stocks from 2009-10 into 2010-11.
	Spending Review 2010 announced that the end-year flexibility (EYF) system is to be abolished at the end of 2010-11, including all accumulated stocks, and replaced with a new system from 2011-12 which will retain an incentive for Departments to avoid wasteful end-year spending and strengthen spending control. Further detail will be set out later this financial year in the "Consolidated Budgeting Guidance".
	As a result of this announcement, there will be no such carry forward of notional EYF stocks from 2010-11 into 2011-12.

Public Expenditure

Jon Trickett: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what estimate he has made of the number of job losses attributable to the comprehensive spending review measures in the  (a) public and  (b) private sector in each year of the spending review period.

Danny Alexander: The Office for Budget Responsibility (OBR) released its projections for whole economy employment to 2015-16 on 22 June 2010, as part of its Budget forecasts.
	Further information on its employment forecast, including projections for general government employment, was released on 30 June 2010 in its document "OBR forecast: Employment", which can be found on the following webpage:
	http://budgetresponsibility.independent.gov.uk/publications.html
	The OBR latest forecast reflects the degree of fiscal consolidation of the 2010 Spending Review, as announced in the Budget. The OBR will update its forecasts on 29 November.

Public Expenditure: Northern Ireland

Sammy Wilson: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether there will be Barnett consequentials for Northern Ireland as a result of the Government's proposals for the future funding of higher education.

Danny Alexander: The Government's proposals for the future funding of higher education in England will be funded from within the Government's spending plans announced on 20 October, on which the Northern Ireland Executive has already received Barnett consequentials.

Redundancy: North West

Helen Jones: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what estimate he has made of the number of  (a) public and  (b) private sector jobs held by (i) women and (ii) men in (A) Warrington and (B) the North West that will be lost as a result of the implementation of the outcomes of the comprehensive spending review.

Danny Alexander: The Office for Budget Responsibility (OBR) released its projections for whole economy employment to 2015-16 as part of its Budget forecasts on 22 June 2010.
	Further information on its employment forecast, including its projections for general government employment, was released on 30 June 2010 in the document 'OBR forecast: Employment', which can be found on the following webpage:
	http://budgetresponsibility.independent.gov.uk/publications.html
	The latest OBR forecast reflects the degree of fiscal consolidation announced in the Budget and consistent with the 2010 spending review. The OBR will update its forecasts on 29 November 2010.
	The OBR has not published forecasts on a sub-national level or by gender.

State Retirement Pensions: Uprating

William Bain: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he has received legal advice on the use of the consumer prices index for measuring movements in the general level of prices for the purposes of  (a) section 59 of the Social Security Pensions Act 1975 and  (b) section 151 of the Social Security Administration Act 1992.

Steve Webb: I have been asked to reply.
	Advice was taken on the legality of the use of the consumer prices index as the measure of the general level of prices in the context of the Secretary of State's statutory duty under section 150 of the Social Security Administration Act 1992. Neither section 151 of that Act nor section 59 of the Social Security Pensions Act 1975 require the Secretary of State to measure movements in the general level of prices.

State Retirement Pensions: Uprating

William Bain: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what representations he has received on the proposed use of the consumer prices index for the indexation of  (a) benefits,  (b) tax credits and  (c) pensions.

Justine Greening: Engagement with the public and external experts has demonstrated a strong consensus in support of action to tackle the deficit and secure economic stability. It has also revealed broad agreement that spending reductions should be balanced across public services and welfare payments, rather than just focused on the former. Regarding the switch to the consumer prices index (CPI) for the indexation of benefits, tax credits and public sector pensions, a number of economic commentators have endorsed the Government's assessment that the CPI has advantages over the retail prices index, including that it better represents the real behaviour of consumers in substituting away from goods which have become relatively more expensive towards cheaper goods.

State Retirement Pensions: Uprating

William Bain: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he sought advice from the UK Statistics Authority prior to his decision to propose the use of the consumer prices index for the indexation of pensions.

Steve Webb: I have been asked to reply.
	The Department made use of a range of information provided by the Office for National Statistics (ONS) regarding price inflation indices. The UK Statistics Authority has oversight of the ONS.

Taxation: Private Rented Housing

Phil Wilson: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many cases HM Revenue and Customs have brought against landlords for non-payment of tax on rental income since 2007.

David Gauke: In the period 2007-10, the vast majority of interventions (cases) undertaken by HMRC into landlords for mis-declaration of rental income originate from our National Property Project. A small number of interventions originating from other projects may also have included rental income queries.
	This project began in March 2007. From that date until the end of June 2010, HMRC:
	identified 44,413 such interventions; and
	finalised 36,631 of these interventions.

Taxation: Wales

Guto Bebb: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many single income families with a household income of between £43,875 and £50,000 remit their taxes to an HM Revenue and Customs office located in Wales.

David Gauke: The information requested is not available. Most of these individuals will have tax deducted via Pay As You Earn (PAYE) by their employer, who will remit tax to HMRC on their behalf. Almost all PAYE is remitted to HMRC's two main Accounts Offices in Cumbernauld and Shipley regardless of where the employer or employee are located.

VAT: Private Education

Tom Blenkinsop: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he plans to review the value added tax exemption for private schools.

David Gauke: European law exempts certain suppliers of education from VAT, meaning that private schools do not charge VAT on the services they provide and are unable to recover VAT they incur on their costs. The Government have no plans to review these VAT rules.

Welfare Tax Credits: Livingston

Graeme Morrice: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many households in Livingston constituency are in receipt of tax credits.

David Gauke: The latest information on the number of families benefiting from child and working tax credits, by each parliamentary constituency, local authority and region is available in the HMRC snapshot publication "Child and Working Tax Credits Statistics. Geographical Analyses. April 2010". This can be found at:
	http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/stats/personal-tax-credits/cwtc-geog-apr2010.pdf
	This publication shows that 12,500 families in Livingston receive tax credits.

Written Questions: Government Responses

Ian Lucas: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer when he plans to provide a substantive answer to question 21407, on AugustaWestland, tabled on 28 October 2010 for named day answer on 2 November 2010.

Danny Alexander: I have now replied to the hon. Member.

TRANSPORT

A1: Hatfield

Greg Knight: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when he expects the refurbishment work and associated lane closures at the A1 Hatfield Tunnel to end; and what the initial scheduled date was for the completion of the project.

Michael Penning: The refurbishment work and associated lane closures at the Hatfield Tunnel are scheduled to end in May 2011. The initial schedule date for completion of the project was spring 2011.

Aviation: Northern Ireland

Naomi Long: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport whether he has had discussions with the Minister for Regional Development in the Northern Ireland Executive on the merits of  (a) devolution to the Northern Ireland Assembly of responsibility for aviation in Northern Ireland and  (b) an aviation strategy for Northern Ireland.

Theresa Villiers: The Secretary of State has not had any discussions with the Minister for Regional Development in the Northern Ireland Executive on these matters.

Aviation: Security

Maria Eagle: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport on what dates since 11 May 2010 he has met representatives of the aviation industry to discuss security matters; and what items were on the agenda on each occasion.

Philip Hammond: I have frequent meetings with aviation industry representatives and the critical importance of aviation security means that this issue is almost always discussed in some form.
	I met with a wide range of representatives from the aviation industry on 4 November, including UK airports, UK airlines and air freight operators, to discuss the recent air cargo security incident.
	A full list of ministerial meetings with external organisations is published quarterly on my Department's website at the following address:
	http://www.dft.gov.uk/datasets/disclosure-ministerial-external-meetings-dft-may-jul2010.csv

Bus Services: Finance

Clive Betts: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what discussions he has had with the Confederation of Passenger Transport on the likely effects on  (a) bus fares and  (b) service levels of the reduction in Bus Service Operators Grant proposed in the spending review.

Norman Baker: I spoke to the Confederation of Passenger Transport UK, who represent the bus industry, following the Chancellor's announcement on 20 October. They were hopeful that, in general, this reduction could be absorbed without fares having to rise.

Cycling

Julian Huppert: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many staff directly employed by his Department have worked on cycling issues in  (a) each of the last five years and  (b) 2010; and how many such staff he expects to work on cycling issues in each of the next three years.

Norman Baker: It is not possible to give a meaningful figure of the number of staff working on cycling issues in each of the last five years. Many different teams in the Department for Transport contribute to cycling policy as part of their wider responsibilities, for instance in relation to road safety, communications, research or traffic management.
	For the last three years, including 2010, there have been around 20 people directly employed by Department for Transport in the Sustainable Travel team. Not all these people spend 100% of their time devoted to cycling issues. Since 2008 this includes three staff members specifically employed to work on Cycling England programme delivery.
	Future staffing requirements are currently being determined, following spending review announcements.

Cycling

Julian Huppert: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many  (a) children and  (b) adults have received national standards cycle training in each of the last five years.

Norman Baker: The Government have been funding National Standard and Bikeability cycle training in schools since 2006-07 with detailed monitoring of delivery in place since 2007-08. Details of the training delivered are set out in the following table for the period 2006-07 to 2009-10.
	
		
			  Number 
			   2006-07  2007-08  2008-09  2009-10 
			 Local authorities 9,000 27,000 74,000 102,000 
			 School Sports Partnerships 4,000 8,000 21,000 66,000 
			  Note:  Figures are rounded up to the nearest 1,000. 
		
	
	The figures are based on returns from local authorities and School Sports Partnerships.
	Although we do not have an accurate figure for training places funded and delivered by local authorities in England in addition to those funded by the Government, we estimate local authorities outside of London deliver between 20,000 and 30,000 additional Level 2 National Standard or Bikeability places each year.
	The Government do not fund adult cycle training and therefore have no information on the number of adults receiving national standard training in past five years whether from local authorities or independent training companies.
	The Government are committed to maintaining the integrity of Bikeability.

Cycling

Julian Huppert: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many  (a) children and  (b) adults he expects to receive national standards cycle training in (i) 2010 and (ii) each of the next four years.

Norman Baker: The Government have provided £11 million to fund 275,000 National Standard Level 2 Bikeability Training places in 2010-11. The Spending Review confirmed the Government's commitment to funding Bikeability training for the next four years. We will make an announcement as soon as possible on how the training will be delivered after March 2011.
	In addition to those funded by the Government we estimate that between 20,000 to 30,000 additional Level 2 Bikeability places each year are delivered by local authorities in England.
	The Government do not fund adult or Level 3 Bikeability cycle training and therefore has no information on the number of adults likely to receive national standard training in 2010-11 or in the future whether from local authorities or independent training companies.

Cycling

Julian Huppert: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what the cost has been of  (a) delivering and  (b) administering national standards cycle training programmes in each of the last six years.

Norman Baker: Grants and bursaries to deliver National Standard Level 2 cycle training since the Government began funding in 2006-07 are set out in the following table:
	
		
			  £ million 
			   2006-07  2007-08  2008-09  2009-10  2010-11 
			 Local authorities 0.35 1.1 3.1 5.4 6.0 
			 School sports partnerships 0.17 0.350 1.1 4.0 5.0 
			 Bursaries for new cycle trainers 0.127 0.121 0.3 0.5 0.5 
			  Note: £45,000 was made available for bursaries in 2005-06 to help start building capacity in cycle training prior to the funding of training places in 2006-07. 
		
	
	The current estimated cost of administering and developing Bikeability training in 2010-11 by way of grants and contracts in addition to Department for Transport/Cycling England staff costs addition to Department for Transport/Cycling England staff costs is £1,220,000. This combines both ongoing running costs and development costs that will not be repeated in future years.

Cycling: Safety

Tim Farron: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will bring forward legislative proposals to require drivers of motor vehicles to keep a minimum of three feet away from cyclists on the highway.

Michael Penning: The Government have no plans to introduce such legislation. All drivers have a duty of care and consideration to other road users. Rules 163, 211-213 of The Highway Code advises drivers to give cyclists at least as much room as a car when overtaking and to give them plenty of room and pay attention to any sudden change in direction they may have to make.

Departmental Official Hospitality

Ian Austin: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how much his Department spent on hospitality for events hosted by each of its Ministers in  (a) September and  (b) October 2010.

Norman Baker: No hospitality costs have been incurred for events hosted by Ministers at the Department for Transport within these timescales.

High Speed Trains

Gregg McClymont: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what his policy is on the provision of a high-speed rail link between London and Scotland.

Philip Hammond: In its Programme for Government, the coalition has set out its support for a truly national high speed rail network, while acknowledging that a project of this scale must be delivered in phases. I have recently asked High Speed Two Ltd to carry out further development work on plans for a Y-shaped network from London to Leeds and Manchester, which could cut journey times to Glasgow and Edinburgh to around three hours 30 minutes via high speed services through-running on to the conventional network.
	In the longer term, the National Infrastructure Plan has set out the Government's intention to look at the options for further reducing journey times to Glasgow and Edinburgh, on which we will need to work in collaboration with the Scottish Government.

High Speed 2: North Staffordshire

Tristram Hunt: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what discussions  (a) he has had and  (b) he plans to have with representatives of businesses in the West Midlands on a rail station in North Staffordshire for the High Speed 2 line.

Philip Hammond: I have had no discussions of this kind to date. I have asked HS2 Ltd to develop proposals for high speed railway routes from the West Midlands to both Manchester and Leeds. As a part of this work they will be assessing forecast demand for intermediate stations. If the analysis shows demand in a particular area, such that an additional station would add to the business case for HS2, I will ask them to look for station locations in partnership with the relevant local authorities and representative bodies.

High Speed 2: West Midlands

Tristram Hunt: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what modelling  (a) his Department and  (b) High Speed Two (i) has undertaken and (ii) plans to undertake on possible stations on the Birmingham to Manchester section of the High Speed Two line.

Philip Hammond: To date neither the Department for Transport nor High Speed 2 Ltd have undertaken any modelling on possible stops on the Birmingham to Manchester section of the proposed High Speed Two line.
	I have recently asked High Speed 2 Ltd to carry out further development work on plans for a Y-shaped network from London to Leeds and Manchester and as a part of this work they will be assessing forecast demand for intermediate stations.

Local Sustainable Transport Fund

Julian Huppert: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport whether the Local Sustainable Transport Fund will be open to bids from voluntary sector organisations.

Norman Baker: The Department for Transport is currently preparing full guidance on the bidding process for the Local Sustainable Transport Fund which we intend to publish later in the year. This will set out among other things what bodies will be eligible to apply to the fund.

Local Sustainable Transport Fund

Julian Huppert: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what proportion of the Local Sustainable Transport Fund he estimates will be spent on  (a) major public transport schemes and  (b) local schemes to promote (i) travel by bus, (ii) cycling and (iii) walking.

Norman Baker: It will be for local partnerships-local transport authorities working with their communities-to identify the right solutions for their areas which are affordable, deliverable and meet the high level requirements of helping the economy and cutting carbon. The proportion of different scheme types that receive funding will depend upon the nature of the bids received.

Maritime and Coastguard Agency

David Mowat: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport pursuant to the answer of 18 October 2010,  Official Report, column 624W, on the Maritime and Coastguard Agency, what estimate he has made of the cost of responding to incidents attributed to, or believed to be caused by, sky lanterns in the last 12 months; and what the average cost of responding to such incidents was when a  (a) lifeboat and  (b) helicopter responded.

Michael Penning: The information is not available in the format requested and to provide it would incur disproportionate costs.
	The Maritime and Coastguard (MCA) does not routinely collate information relating to the costs of individual search and rescue missions. The majority of the agency's search and rescue costs, such as its rescue co-ordination centres and its contracted helicopters, are fixed and would be incurred even if not responding to incidents.
	The MCA has no visibility of the costs associated with lifeboats as this is borne by either the Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI) or another independent lifeboat operator.

Motor Vehicles: Exports

Greg Knight: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many certificates of permanent export for vehicles the Driving and Vehicle Licensing Agency issued in  (a) 2008,  (b) 2009 and  (c) 2010 to date.

Michael Penning: The number of permanent export certificates issued by the Driving and Vehicle Licensing Agency since 2008 is:
	
		
			   Number 
			 2008 24,850 
			 2009 29,998 
			 2010 January to end of October 14,207

Motor Vehicles: Testing

Tom Watson: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when he next plans to review MOT test fees; and if he will make a statement.

Michael Penning: holding answer 28 October 2010
	The Department for Transport does keep MOT fee levels under regular review and officials will be meeting with representatives of the MOT test trade next month where this issue will be on the agenda.
	The fee maxima for the various classes of MOT test were last increased on 6 April 2010. The maximum fee for a car class test increased from £54 to £54.85. The proportion of this fee that goes to VOSA to cover its costs in administering the MOT scheme increased from £2 to £2.05.

National Aviation Security Committee

Maria Eagle: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport on what dates since 11 May 2010 he has met the National Aviation Security Committee; and what items were on the agenda of each such meeting.

Philip Hammond: The National Aviation Security Committee, which is a high level strategic group which meets twice yearly, last met on 26 May 2010 under the chairmanship of the Director General for International Networks and Environments.
	The agenda for this meeting comprised the following items:
	Introduction and Welcome;
	Threat assessment;
	Report from the Executive Committee to National Aviation Security Committee;
	Compliance;
	Future Tasking for the Executive Committee;
	Any Other Business.
	My right hon. Friend the Minister of State is intending to chair the next meeting of the National Aviation Security Committee, scheduled for 29 November 2010.
	Since the discovery of a potentially viable explosive device on an aircraft at East Midlands Airport on 29 October I have convened an ad hoc meeting with airport operators, airlines, freight and courier firms and have attended meetings of Cobra and the National Security Council.

Pollution: Liquefied Petroleum Gas

Tom Harris: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what assessment he has made of the potential contribution of vehicles operated on liquid petroleum gas to meeting targets for air quality.

Norman Baker: Liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) can be used as a transport fuel in converted petrol vehicles. The Department for Transport commissioned testing with Tickford Powertrain of the air pollutant emissions of a number of such vehicles in 2006-07, the results of which can be found online:
	http://www.dft.gov.uk/pgr/roads/environment/research/cqvcf/euro3lpgrettrofitemissions/euro3report.pdf
	The results of this testing showed that air pollutant emissions when these vehicles ran on LPG were similar to, but no lower than, those when running on petrol. Tailpipe CO2 emissions from LPG were however around 11% lower than from petrol, due to the lower carbon content of the fuel. Based on this evidence, converting petrol vehicles to run on LPG is unlikely to have any air quality benefit.

Ports: Scotland

Ann McKechin: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how much of his Department's capital expenditure was allocated to the  (a) development and  (b) overhaul of ports in Scotland in each year since 1997.

Michael Penning: Ports policy is devolved in Scotland and ports there, as in England, generally fund their investment on a commercial basis. However, during the period in question the following grant awards were made on behalf of Scottish Ministers for freight facilities:
	
		
			   Grantee  Facilities  Grant award (£) 
			 2002 Forth Ports New Ro-Ro ferry terminal at Rosyth 10,968,529 
			 2003 Clydeboyd Ltd Extension of Corpach Pier (near Fort William) 3,328,005 
			 2003 Iggesund Paperboard Renovation of Portavadie Quay and upgrading of Forestry Road 223,338

Public Transport: Franchises

Helen Grant: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what mechanisms his Department has in place to ensure that lack of financial viability of the franchisee for a public transport route does not prevent the provision of services on that route.

Theresa Villiers: The Department for Transport lets franchises for operating rail services. Once central Government grant to Network Rail is taken into account, almost none of the individual rail franchises earn sufficient revenue to cover the total costs of service provision. The provision of rail services is therefore ensured through the Department's procurement and contract management processes, working alongside the commercial incentives of rail operators.
	Value for money and affordability are key considerations in deciding the priority for providing taxpayer support for services. In circumstances where a franchisee is unable to continue operating, the Department is required to ensure the continuation of rail services under section 30 of the Railways Act 1993 (as amended).

Railways: Construction

Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what discussions he has had with the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs on the environmental effects of proposed high speed rail links on the  (a) environment and  (b) properties in the vicinity of each route.

Philip Hammond: holding answer 4 November 2010
	In assessing the environmental effects of the proposed high speed line, officials in HS2 Ltd have liaised with colleagues in the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs. They will continue to engage on environmental matters including the preparation of the full Appraisal of Sustainability that the Government will publish to inform the forthcoming public consultation.

Railways: Construction

Dan Byles: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many applications his Department received for compensation under the Exceptional Hardship Scheme for High Speed 2 on the most recent date for which figures are available; and how many such applications were approved.

Philip Hammond: As of 2 November 2010, the High Speed 2 Exceptional Hardship Scheme had received 79 applications. Decisions have been made on 31 of these applications so far. Of these 31 applications, 11 have been accepted.

Railways: Construction

Dan Byles: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport whether local authorities that suffer a net loss in the monetary value of their housing assets attributable to the determined route for High Speed 2 will be compensated.

Philip Hammond: In my statement to Parliament on 26 July 2010,  Official Report, columns 73-75WS, announcing the High Speed 2 Exceptional Hardship Scheme, I also set out my intention to introduce further arrangements to assist property owners, following consultation on the Government's high speed rail strategy and the route of any new line. I intend to introduce additional arrangements to help people whose property would not be covered by the statutory blight regime, but may nevertheless suffer a significant diminution in value as a result of proximity of the line.
	At this stage it is too early to predict what the format or terms of such arrangements might be, both generally and with regard to local authorities. I have asked my officials to provide me with further advice on options for the terms and conditions of such additional provision and how it should operate. I will report to Parliament on my proposed way forward in the light of the spending review outcome and before public consultation.

Railways: Construction

Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when he expects to take a decision on the route for the High Speed 2 Rail Line.

Philip Hammond: I intend to announce my preferred route for consultation later this year. The consultation period will begin early in 2011, and will last for a period significantly in excess of the minimum duration recommended in the Government's Consultation Code of Practice. Final decisions on the route of any new line will only be taken following this public consultation.

Railways: Construction

Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what estimate his Department has made of the number of properties likely to be affected by his proposals for the route of the High Speed 2 rail line.

Philip Hammond: I am still considering the exact route that we will recommend for consultation. Estimates of the numbers of properties that may be affected will be included in the full Appraisal of Sustainability which will be published to inform the forthcoming consultation.

Railways: Heathrow Airport

Tony Baldry: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport 
	(1)  what the terms of reference were for the report by Arup on the Heathrow link;
	(2)  if he will publish the report by Arup on the Heathrow link in a form which includes maps;
	(3)  for what reasons his Department has redacted the report by Arup on the Heathrow link.

Philip Hammond: Arup's report on a Heathrow link and its subsequent submission to the Mawhinney Review were commissioned and prepared independently by Arup. The Department for Transport had no involvement in setting any terms of reference which the company may have followed in carrying out its work.
	The submission to the Mawhinney Review was made in strict confidence and subject to the Department for Transport's agreement that it would not be published or otherwise made public other than in its redacted form (the redactions having been made by Arup). This is because the material contains detailed information on Arup's proposals for a Heathrow Hub which the company has worked up independently, on which it has expended significant resources, and which in its opinion constitutes valuable intellectual property.

Railways: West Midlands

John Hemming: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what estimate his Department has made of the public spending required in  (a) 2010,  (b) 2011,  (c) 2012 and  (d) 2013 to develop the proposed HS2 high speed rail link from London to Birmingham.

Philip Hammond: In respect of the current financial year, I refer the hon. Member to my answer of 14 October 2010,  Official Report, column 411W, given to the hon. Member for Brighton, Pavilion (Caroline Lucas).
	For subsequent years, the Government have confirmed that over £750 million in funding has been identified for high speed rail over the spending review period. This figure includes annual resource funding as follows:
	
		
			   £ million 
			 2011-12 116 
			 2012-13 163 
			 2013-14 90 
			 2014-15 205 
		
	
	In addition, with regard to capital expenditure, the Department for Transport estimates that up to £50 million a year will be required to fund the purchase of properties under the current exceptional hardship scheme and any subsequent statutory and discretionary arrangements put in place to assist property owners affected by its high speed rail proposals. However, it should be noted that actual capital expenditure will depend on the number and nature of applications received.

Railways: Wiltshire

Jonathan Edwards: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what recent estimate he has made of the cost to the public purse of dualling the railway line between Swindon and Kemble.

Theresa Villiers: The last estimate provided by Network Rail in December 2009 was £52.4 million. A more detailed estimate is expected at the end of this year. Unfortunately, the need to address the deficit means that we are not able to commit Government funding to this project in the current spending review period, but it remains our aspiration to take it forward in the future. This is the type of project that will be considered for funding in the next railway control period.

Renewable Transport Fuel Obligation

Paul Maynard: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will assess the merits of introducing a minimum floor price for Renewable Obligation Transport Certificates.

Norman Baker: As part of the Government's measures to address climate change, the renewable transport fuel obligation (RTFO) ensures a growing proportion of UK road transport fuels are from sustainable renewable sources. The RTFO includes a certificate trading mechanism to increase the efficiency of compliance. The value of individual certificates is determined by the market. To date the RTFO has met its objective of driving a market for renewable transport fuels in the UK. Therefore the introduction of a minimum floor price is not currently considered necessary.

Roads: Accidents

Jesse Norman: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what assessment he has made of the effect on the number of accidents involving cars towing trailers of the change in the regulations on competence to drive classes of vehicles following implementation of the Driving Licences (Community Driving Licence) Regulations 1996.

Michael Penning: No assessment has been made on the effect of the Driving Licences (Community Driving Licence) Regulations 1996 on the number of accidents involving cars towing trailers.
	The number of accidents involving cars towing trailers is collected and is shown in the following table.
	
		
			  Reported accidents involving a car towing, by item on tow: GB 1990  to  2009( 1) 
			  Accidents 
			  Accident year  Single trailer  Double trailer  Caravan  Other 
			 1990 670 3 375 168 
			 1991 740 3 378 196 
			 1992 696 1 347 190 
			 1993 688 1 365 201 
			 1994 739 1 342 183 
			 1995 681 0 302 174 
			 1996 740 0 298 168 
			 1997 744 1 378 140 
			 1998 767 1 295 167 
			 1999 721 9 287 193 
			 2000 658 20 246 169 
			 2001 655 35 240 155 
			 2002 607 23 241 157 
			 2003 622 28 237 124 
			 2004 613 17 203 132 
			 2005 585 42 205 129 
			 2006 501 22 203 131 
			 2007 496 39 173 122 
			 2008 426 22 161 90 
			 2009 388 21 161 93 
			 (1) Includes single trailers, double/multiple trailers and caravans.

Roads: Accidents

Rebecca Harris: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what assessment he has made of the potential effect on the incidence of road traffic accidents of adopting daylight saving time.

Michael Penning: I refer my hon. Friend to my answer of 2 November 2010,  Official Report, column 706W.

Shipping: Isles of Scilly

Angus Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport which  (a) UK and  (b) French aircraft were involved in the rescue of crew from the Athena fish factory ship off the Isles of Scilly; what the role of each was; and if he will make a statement.

Michael Penning: None of the people from the MV Athena were rescued by aircraft. However, the following aircraft were tasked to respond to the incident:
	A Falcon 50 from the French Navy that provided a communications link;
	An RAF C-130 Hercules from RAF Lyneham, which was later stood down because of the endurance available from the French aircraft;
	Royal Navy Sea King positioned on the Scilly Isles from RNAS Culdrose; and
	RAF Sea King from RMB Chivenor, also positioned on the Scilly Isles.

Tolls: Roads

Angus MacNeil: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what progress he has made on the implementation of the Lorry Road User Charge Scheme; and if he will make a statement.

Michael Penning: We are working towards the introduction of a new system of HGV road user charging to ensure a fairer arrangement for UK hauliers. New legislation will be needed for a national HGV road user charging scheme. The details have not yet been finalised, but the Department for Transport is working with the Treasury to design a charging scheme and measures to offset the charges for UK hauliers.

Travel: Subsidies

Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when his Department last had discussions with the representatives of the rail and coach industry on levels of support for fares paid from the public purse.

Theresa Villiers: The Department for Transport has regular meetings with train operators. These include discussions on the level of subsidy paid to or premiums paid by the train operator. Changes to fares regulation are also discussed when appropriate.
	We have not had discussions with the coach industry on public support for fares since the new Government was formed.

HOME DEPARTMENT

Antisocial Behaviour Orders: Maidstone

Helen Grant: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many antisocial behaviour orders have been  (a) made against and  (b) breached by residents of Maidstone and the Weald constituency in each of the last five years.

James Brokenshire: The latest available data on the number of antisocial behaviour orders (ASBOs) issued and breached cover the period 1 April 1999 to 31 December 2008. Figures for Maidstone and the Weald constituency are unavailable as data collected centrally by the Ministry of Justice on ASBOs are not available below CJS area level.
	The number of ASBOs issued in the Kent criminal justice system (CJS) area and the number proved in court to have been breached in the Kent CJS area, in each year between 2004-08 are shown in the following table.
	
		
			  Number of antisocial behaviour orders (ASBOs) issued in all courts( 1)  and the number proved in court to have been breached( 2)  in the Kent criminal justice system (CJS) area, 1 January 2004 to 31 December 2008 
			  CJS area  2004  2005  2006  2007  2008 
			  Kent  
			 Issued 54 44 29 26 13 
			 Breached 5 6 8 11 16 
			 (1) Includes ASBOs issued on application by magistrates courts acting in their civil capacity and county courts, which became available on 1 April 1999 and ASBOs made following conviction for a relevant criminal offence at the Crown court and at magistrates courts (acting in their criminal capacity), which became available on 2 December 2002. Prior to the creation of the Ministry of Justice on 9 May 2007, numbers of ASBOs issued were reported to Home Office by the Court Service. (2) Breach data from the magistrates court administrative systems in Kent are known to have been under-reported. ASBOs may be breached more than once and in more than one year. In this table, ASBOs are counted once only within the period when they were first breached. Many of these breaches will be as a result of an ASBO that was issued in an earlier year. ASBOs may be issued in one area and breached in another. For these reasons, breach rates cannot be computed from the figures presented in this table. Breaches are counted in this table by area of issue.  Note: Every effort is made to ensure that the figures presented are accurate and complete. However, it is important to note that these data have been extracted from large administrative data systems generated by the courts and police forces. As a consequence, care should be taken to ensure data collection processes and their inevitable limitations are taken into account when those data are used.  Source: Justice Statistics Analytical Services within the Ministry of Justice.

Border Agency: Finance

Hazel Blears: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what assessment she has made of the effects on the security of UK borders of the spending settlement for the UK Border Agency announced in the 2010 spending review.

Damian Green: The UK Border Agency priorities are to secure the border and reduce migration. The UK Border Agency is committed to maintaining an effective and secure border. The Coalition commitment to a functioning e-borders programme will mean that we can improve controls, gain better intelligence and work more productively at the border.
	The new National Crime Agency including the Border Police Command will also enhance security and further develop more effective policing at the border.
	The UK Border Agency is using intelligence so that we can target the resources we have-people and money-and focus them on individuals who pose the greatest threat to the UK.
	The UK Border Agency is making full use of technology, increasing automated passport gates and using e-Borders to check passengers against watch lists, targeting systems, biometrics and providing more services online, including applications. All of these initiatives are subject to ongoing assessment by the UK Border Agency as they progress in order to ensure that its commitment to maintaining a secure border is achieved.
	I am confident that the effect will be an improved and effective impact on the security of the UK borders.

Crime: Databases

Philip Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what recent estimate she has made of the number and proportion of unsolved crimes for which the investigation has been closed where there has been an unmatched DNA sample collected at the crime scene.

James Brokenshire: Information is not collected centrally from police forces on the number and proportion of unsolved crimes for which the investigation has been closed.
	However, since April 2002 records have been captured on the national DNA database (NDNAD) match reporting management information database (MID) on matches between crime scene sample profiles and subject sample profiles.
	As at 30 September 2010, there were 366,755 crime scene sample profiles on the NDNAD that had been submitted by police forces in England and Wales. As at 4 October 2010, an estimated 147,510 of these had not been matched to a subject sample profile. This represents 40% of the total number of crime scene profiles held on the NDNAD from police forces in England and Wales.
	The figures provided are estimates as it is possible that some crime scene profiles were matched before 2002 and therefore not captured on the MID. The number of unmatched crime scene profiles may therefore be lower than indicated. It is also important to note that although a crime scene sample profile on the database has not matched to a subject sample profile, the crime may have been detected through other evidence.
	The data provided are management information and have not been formally assessed for compliance with the Code of Practice for Official Statistics.

Departmental Official Hospitality

Ian Austin: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how much her Department spent on hospitality for events hosted by each of its Ministers in  (a) September and  (b) October 2010.

Nick Herbert: The Home Office did not incur any relevant expenditure during September or October 2010.

Departmental Public Expenditure

Phillip Lee: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what mechanisms are in place to ensure that her Department's decisions on regional funding allocations are based on the most recent available population data.

Nick Herbert: The Home Office does not contribute to any single regional pot of funding. Individual police force funding allocations, including specific grants, have not been decided yet. These will be announced provisionally in early December.

Departmental Public Expenditure

Lisa Nandy: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether her Department has established processes to monitor any effects of proposed reductions in its expenditure.

Nick Herbert: The Department's Structural Reform Plan sets out clear priorities and measurable milestones. We are already monitoring our progress against these, with monthly progress reports publicly available on the No. 10 website. Now that we know our spending review settlement, we will publish a Departmental Business Plan which will encompass a revised Structural Reform Plan. This will provide the means by which the Department will monitor progress against objectives within its planned expenditure over the spending review period.

Departmental Redundancy

Angela Eagle: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department 
	(1)  how much funding to meet staff redundancy costs was identified in her Department's settlement letter in respect of the comprehensive spending review;
	(2)  what estimate she has made of the number of redundancies arising from the spending reductions proposed in the comprehensive spending review in respect of  (a) her Department,  (b) its non-departmental public bodies and  (c) other public bodies which are dependent on her Department for funding;
	(3)  what estimate she has made of the cost to her Department of staff redundancy in each of the next four years.

Nick Herbert: All pressures on Departments' budgets were taken into account as part of the Spending Review and settlements were allocated accordingly.
	The Home Office has made a provisional estimate that suggests the Home Office and its agencies (UK Border Agency, Identity and Passport Service and Criminal Records Bureau) will reduce their work force by approximately 6,500 over the four years of the settlement.
	Determining the exact number and cost of voluntary early departures and redundancies will be an ongoing process and will depend on many factors, such as the recruitment freeze, pay restraint and other cost saving measures.

Departmental Visits Abroad

David Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how much her Department spent on overseas visits for senior officials in the last 12 months for which figures are available.

Nick Herbert: The travel and subsistence (including overseas travel) of the Permanent Secretary and Director Generals are published quarterly on the Home Office website at:
	www.homeoffice.gov.uk
	The overseas travel of Ministers is published annually by the Cabinet Office at:
	http://www.cabinetoffice.gov.uk/conduct-ethics/ministerial/ministers-travel.aspx

Electronic Surveillance: Internet

Annette Brooke: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what recent representations she has had on the practices of TalkTalk in monitoring internet browsing activity by its customers.

Nick Herbert: holding answer 26 October 2010
	I have had no recent representations in respect of the practices of TalkTalk in monitoring internet browsing activity by its customers.

European Data Retention Directive

Julian Huppert: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what discussions she has had at EU level on proposals to repeal the European Data Retention Directive.

Nick Herbert: holding answer 19 October 2010
	The European Commission is currently carrying out an evaluation of the European Data Retention Directive as it is required to do under Article 14 of that directive. The UK has responded to the request from the Commission for further information setting out the value of the directive in tackling serious crime.

European Investigation Order

Douglas Carswell: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department 
	(1)  whether her Department considered alternative measures in advance of the Government's decision to opt into the draft European directive on the European Investigation Order;
	(2)  if she will publish the advice she received in advance of the Government's decision to opt into the draft European directive on the European Investigation Order; and if she will make a statement.

Nick Herbert: In line with article 3 of the UK protocol to the treaty on the functioning of the European Union, the UK's opt-in applied to the European Investigation Order (EIO). As a result the three options open to the UK were: not to opt into the EIO; to opt into the EIO at the start of negotiations; or to apply to opt in once the EIO has been adopted. All these options were carefully considered by the Government and it was determined that it was in the UK's interests to opt in at the start of negotiations. The reasons for this were explained in my right hon. Friend the Home Secretary's oral statement to the House of Commons on 27 July 2010,  Official Report, columns 881-90:
	http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm201011/cmhansrd/cm100727/debtext/100727-0001.htm#10072741000006
	Releasing the advice we received prior to making the decision on opting in to the EIO would, at this time, be prejudicial to the development of government policy on this matter.

European Investigation Order

Douglas Carswell: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what consideration she gave to the Government's policy on further transfer of sovereignty or powers to the EU when determining her policy on the European Investigation Order; and if she will make a statement.

Nick Herbert: I refer my hon. Friend to the statement made by my right hon. Friend the Home Secretary on 27 July 2010,  Official Report, columns 881-890. As the Home Secretary made clear in her statement, I am satisfied that the European Investigation Order (EIO) will not further transfer sovereignty or powers to the EU. The EIO seeks to improve the existing system for mutual legal assistance (MLA) between participating member states and the decision to opt into the EIO was made following careful consideration of this policy.

Extradition

John Whittingdale: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the cost to the public purse was of the extradition case The Government of the Republic of Serbia v. Dr Ejup Ganic concluded by the judgment of 27 July 2010.

Nick Herbert: holding answer 9 September 2010
	 It is not possible to provide a complete or accurate breakdown of costs incurred in this or any other individual extradition case. A number of Departments and agencies are involved in extradition cases including the Home Office, Foreign and Commonwealth Office, the Serious Organised Crime Agency, the Crown Prosecution Service, the police and HM Courts Service; and the cost of each case (which differs) is dealt with as part of the overall and larger case load.

Extradition

Philip Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what estimate she has made of the number of people extradited from the UK in the last three years who have subsequently returned to the UK.

Nick Herbert: My right hon. Friend the Home Secretary has not made any estimate of this kind.

Human Trafficking: EU Law

Jo Swinson: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what plans she has for the Government's contribution to negotiations on the EU human trafficking directive; and if she will make a statement.

Damian Green: holding answer 4 November 2010
	The Government have been engaged in ongoing negotiations with EU member states and the European Commission on the EU directive on human trafficking.
	The Government decided not to opt into the directive at the outset, but to review the position once the directive has been agreed. We still have the option of applying to opt in at a later stage. Ongoing negotiations enable us to influence the final text of the directive, to ensure it is in the UK's best interests.

Human Trafficking: EU Law

Peter Bone: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if she will bring forward proposals for the UK to opt into the EU directive on human trafficking; and if she will make a statement.

Damian Green: The Government decided not to opt into the directive at the outset, but to review the position once the directive has been agreed. We still have the option of applying to opt in at a later stage.
	In reaching this decision, the Government considered whether the directive would make a practical difference to the way the UK fights trafficking and whether it contained operational co-operation measures from which the UK would benefit.

Human Trafficking: Northern Ireland

Jim Shannon: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what plans she has to tackle human trafficking into Northern Ireland; and what mechanism she has put in place to ensure the effectiveness of police operations against such trafficking.

Damian Green: holding answer 18 October 2010
	The Government maintain a close working relationship with relevant authorities across the UK at policy and operational levels to ensure the UK is a hostile environment for traffickers.
	We are currently developing a new strategy to combat human trafficking, as I announced in the House on 14 October 2010. This will enhance our ability to act early, and involve smarter multi-agency action at the border, a more co-ordinated policing effort at home and improved victim care arrangements.
	This will be carried out in consultation with the devolved administrations to ensure a coherent UK-wide approach.

Identity and Passport Service Interview Offices

Hugh Bayley: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department 
	(1)  if she will make an estimate of the  (a) cost and  (b) duration of travel by public transport from each of the Identity and Passport Service Interview Offices planned for closure to the nearest office proposed to remain open;
	(2)  if she will take steps to offer alternative employment to staff of the Identity and Passport Service Interview Office in York on the closure of that office.

Damian Green: holding answer 1 November 2010
	The Identity and Passport Service (IPS) is currently carrying out formal consultation with trade unions on the proposed restructuring of the Interview Office Network (ION). Any costs or travelling time associated with the restructure can only be assessed following completion and consideration of the outcome of the consultation process.
	IPS is committed to ensuring that staff whose posts are declared surplus under restructuring plans are considered for any internal vacancy or redeployment opportunity across the civil service before considering compulsory redundancy. Support is in place to enable our staff to enhance existing skills and to enable them to apply for suitable vacancies outside the civil service.

Identity and Passport Service: Newport (Gwent)

Jessica Morden: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what estimate she has made of the number of staff of the Identity and Passport Service working in the Newport passport office who could be redeployed from the Newport passport office to other civil service jobs in Newport.

Damian Green: holding answer 4 November 2010
	The proposed closure of the passport application processing centre at Newport would affect around 250 staff. The Identity and Passport Office is proposing to retain a customer service centre in Newport to service south Wales and the south-west. This will redeploy up to 45 people to provide a counter service and the ability to deal with applicants in the Welsh language. There is no forecast yet available regarding the volume or type of vacancies that might arise in the wider civil service between now and the proposed closure date. However, Identity and Passport Service is committed to providing individuals with outplacement support in order to help facilitate their move to alternative employment. This will include providing support in identifying alternative job opportunities both in the wider public sector but also in the private sector; providing practical training and development support; and making dedicated office space available to outplacement support where members of staff can go to seek help and advice and take time to carry out their job search.

Independent Police Complaints Commission

Karl Turner: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department 
	(1)  how many  (a) complaints and  (b) appeals were upheld by the Independent Police Complaints Commission in (i) 2009-10 and (ii) 2010-11;
	(2)  how many  (a) complaints and  (b) appeals the Independent Police Complaints Commission processed in (i) 2009-10 and (ii) 2010-11.

Nick Herbert: This information is not held by the Home Office.
	The Independent Police Complaints Commission (IPCC) has statutory responsibility for the police complaints system and is responsible for the collation and publication of related statistics. However, I am advised that statistics for the periods in question are not yet available. Statistics for the period 2009-10 are expected to be published in December 2010.

Police Authorities of Wales

Alun Cairns: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether she has considered the merits of merging South Wales and Gwent police authorities; and if she will make a statement.

Nick Herbert: I have received no approach to consider the merger of South Wales and Gwent police areas. The Government have rejected the compulsory merger of local forces. We will consider requests for mergers only where they are voluntary, supported by a robust business case, and have community consent.

Police Authorities: Security

Steven Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what recent assessment she has made of the merits of the use of private security firms by police forces.

Nick Herbert: The Government have not carried out any assessment of the merits of the use of private security firms by the police.

Police Stations: Rugby

Mark Pawsey: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department 
	(1)  if she will estimate the average number of people who visited the enquiry office of Rugby police station in each hour of the day in which that office was open to the public in the latest year in which figures are available;
	(2)  if she will estimate the average number of people who visited the enquiry office of Rugby police station on each day of the week in the latest year for which figures are available.

Nick Herbert: The Department does not collect information on the opening hours or the number of people attending police station inquiry offices. The opening hours of police station inquiry offices are a matter for chief constables to determine in line with local priorities.

Police: Accountability

Alan Johnson: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what steps she plans to take to safeguard the operational independence of chief constables under her proposals for elected police commissioners.

Nick Herbert: We continue to engage with the Association of Chief Police Officers (ACPO) and other professional partners in deciding the best division of responsibilities between commissioners and chief constables, to ensure that operational independence is protected. As set out in the "Policing in the 21st Century" document, commissioners will be subject to checks and balances.

Police: Accountability

Alan Johnson: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether she has made an assessment of the responses to her Department's 2004 consultation in respect of directly-elected police commissioners.

Nick Herbert: holding answer 14 September 2010
	 Formal consultation on Police and Crime Commissioners was set out in the "Policing in the 21st Century" consultation document published on 26 July 2010. Formal consultation ended on 20 September and responses have been submitted by a range of policing partners. These are being considered before the publication of the Government response in the autumn.

Police: Accountability

Guy Opperman: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what mechanisms she plans to put in place to ensure the operational independence of the police following the introduction of elected police commissioners.

Nick Herbert: As outlined in the "Policing in the 21(st) Century" consultation document, the Government are determined to maintain the operational independence of the police which is a fundamental principle of British policing.
	The Government's consultation on these proposals closed on 20 September 2010 and a detailed response will be published shortly.

Police: Disability

Keith Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many disabled people were employed by the police  (a) nationally and  (b) in each constabulary in the latest period for which figures are available.

Nick Herbert: The available information is shown in the following table:
	
		
			  People with a disability employed by the police forces of England and Wales, 31 March 2010 
			  Number 
			   Police officers  Police community support officers  Police staff 
			 Avon and Somerset 5 0 5 
			 Bedfordshire 43 2 0 
			 Cambridgeshire 133 7 46 
			 Cheshire 28 1 115 
			 Cleveland 1 0 35 
			 Cumbria 50 0 12 
			 Derbyshire 48 5 31 
			 Devon and Cornwall 41 3 88 
			 Dorset 18 5 31 
			 Durham 23 2 45 
			 Dyfed-Powys 47 5 32 
			 Essex 50 2 50 
			 Gloucestershire 51 1 50 
			 Greater Manchester 303 38 34 
			 Gwent 0 0 281 
			 Hampshire 3 8 0 
			 Hertfordshire 46 5 19 
			 Humberside 46 5 57 
			 Kent 54 8 83 
			 Lancashire 6 0 57 
			 Leicestershire 29 4 13 
			 Lincolnshire 24 1 43 
			 London, City of 0 1 36 
			 Merseyside 32 2 22 
			 Metropolitan Police 184 60 49 
			 Norfolk 2 0 265 
			 Northamptonshire 42 3 30 
			 Northumbria 22 1 52 
			 North Wales 13 0 13 
			 North Yorkshire 42 3 25 
			 Nottinghamshire 40 9 46 
			 South Wales 74 5 43 
			 South Yorkshire 30 4 66 
			 Staffordshire 24 3 37 
			 Suffolk 34 6 35 
			 Surrey 22 0 53 
			 Sussex 42 0 56 
			 Thames Valley 21 2 44 
			 Warwickshire 30 2 26 
			 West Mercia 12 1 35 
			 West Midlands 71 8 9 
			 West Yorkshire 18 3 156 
			 Wiltshire 3 1 70 
			 Total 1,807 214 2,295 
			  Notes:  1. Figures are provisional and have not been verified by forces.  2. Disability is self-declared following the definition used by the Disability Discrimination Act 1995: "Someone with a physical or mental impairment which has a substantial and long-term adverse effect on his or her ability to carry out normal day-to-day activities. In this context, long-term means having lasted 12 months or more, expected to last 12 months or more from the time it started, or expected to last for the rest of the individual's life."

Police: Ethnic Groups

Keith Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many people from each ethnic minority group were employed by the police  (a) nationally and  (b) in each constabulary in the latest period for which figures are available.

Nick Herbert: The available data are provided in the following table which shows police officer strength by ethnicity and police force area as at 31 March 2010.
	
		
			  Police officer strength by ethnicity and police force area as at 31 March 2010-England and Wales 
			  Full-time equivalents(1) 
			  Police force  White  Mixed  Black or Black British  Asian or Asian British  Other ethnic group  Not stated  Total all staff 
			 Avon and Somerset 3,242 19 18 9 11 3 3,302 
			 Bedfordshire 1,150 20 16 39 0 22 1,246 
			 Cambridgeshire 1,421 14 7 13 3 14 1,471 
			 Cheshire 2,119 14 2 5 2 14 2,155 
			 Cleveland 1,656 6 1 19 1 42 1,724 
			 Cumbria 1,222 6 2 5 1 2 1,238 
			 Derbyshire 2,003 15 6 48 3 0 2,074 
			 Devon and Cornwall 3,179 17 8 1 6 345 3,556 
			 Dorset 1,464 9 3 4 1 5 1,486 
			 Durham 1,481 14 1 10 1 0 1,507 
			 Essex 3,512 56 11 16 5 6 3,606 
			 Gloucestershire 1,268 11 5 4 5 16 1,309 
			 Greater Manchester 7,775 132 55 149 37 0 8,148 
			 Hampshire 3,424 31 7 24 16 246 3,748 
			 Hertfordshire 2,044 28 16 32 5 5 2,130 
			 Humberside 2,040 7 6 5 0 0 2,058 
			 Kent 3,659 46 13 38 16 16 3,787 
			 Lancashire 3,217 49 2 67 3 312 3,649 
			 Leicestershire 2,133 35 24 94 1 30 2,317 
			 Lincolnshire 1,189 6 5 6 1 0 1,206 
			 London, City of 805 14 14 17 1 2 852 
			 Merseyside 4,370 85 21 14 26 0 4,516 
			 Metropolitan Police 30,162 628 873 1,132 488 84 33,367 
			 Norfolk 1,633 17 1 3 1 8 1,662 
			 Northamptonshire 1,200 15 21 13 4 89 1,343 
			 Northumbria 4,112 33 5 17 9 11 4,187 
			 North Yorkshire 1,469 11 0 6 0 0 1,486 
			 Nottinghamshire 2,313 26 23 38 2 8 2,409 
			 South Yorkshire 2,848 23 22 43 3 14 2,953 
			 Staffordshire 2,116 19 11 15 0 1 2,161 
			 Suffolk 1,206 20 4 3 1 12 1,246 
			 Surrey 1,797 25 8 23 9 29 1,890 
			 Sussex 3,121 26 8 7 15 37 3,213 
			 Thames Valley 4,146 79 32 71 16 91 4,434 
			 Warwickshire 918 7 2 31 3 12 973 
			 West Mercia 2,350 12 8 14 7 0 2,391 
			 West Midlands 7,903 153 128 395 12 35 8,626 
			 West Yorkshire 5,478 53 43 152 19 14 5,758 
			 Wiltshire 1,163 6 5 4 1 2 1,181 
			 Dyfed-Powys 1,187 3 1 3 1 0 1,195 
			 Gwent 1,415 11 4 6 1 0 1,437 
			 North Wales 1,577 6 1 2 3 1 1,590 
			 South Wales 2,809 40 6 14 6 273 3,148 
			 Total of 43 forces 135,293 1,844 1,446 2,607 745 1,799 143,734 
			 (1) This table contains full-time equivalent figures that have been rounded to the nearest whole number. Because of rounding, there may be an apparent discrepancy between totals and the sums of the constituent items.

Police: Females

Keith Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many women were employed by the police  (a) nationally and  (b) in each constabulary in the latest period for which figures are available.

Nick Herbert: Available data relate to full-time equivalent female officer strength by police force area in England and Wales at 31 March 2010 and are given in the following table.
	
		
			  Female officer strength in England and Wales by police force area on 31 March 2010 
			  Full-time equivalent( 1) 
			  Police force  Police officers  Police staff( 2)  Police community support officers  Designated officers  Traffic wardens 
			 Avon and Somerset 816 1,122 223 0 0 
			 Bedfordshire 363 557 64 32 0 
			 Cambridgeshire 381 642 107 16 0 
			 Cheshire 552 884 94 31 0 
			 Cleveland 368 484 72 0 0 
			 Cumbria 403 493 60 10 0 
			 Derbyshire 521 847 88 57 0 
			 Devon and Cornwall 892 1,039 159 100 1 
			 Dorset 350 627 68 18 0 
			 Durham 394 546 77 19 0 
			 Essex 997 1,259 244 38 2 
			 Gloucestershire 361 423 74 18 0 
			 Greater Manchester 2,113 2,402 324 114 2 
			 Hampshire 1,065 1,455 169 33 1 
			 Hertfordshire 654 958 139 107 0 
			 Humberside 538 840 165 111 1 
			 Kent 995 1,458 192 161 0 
			 Lancashire 991 1,305 195 0 0 
			 Leicestershire 577 752 88 51 0 
			 Lincolnshire 299 508 74 16 2 
			 London, City of 175 170 18 0 0 
			 Merseyside 1,109 1,345 205 66 0 
			 Metropolitan police 7,774 8,299 1,613 137 144 
			 Norfolk 420 625 135 23 5 
			 Northamptonshire 359 771 67 5 0 
			 Northumbria 1,081 1,208 202 24 0 
			 North Yorkshire 381 676 80 0 1 
			 Nottinghamshire 577 985 122 37 0 
			 South Yorkshire 777 1,482 141 24 0 
			 Staffordshire 552 840 120 56 0 
			 Suffolk 318 533 87 14 0 
			 Surrey 576 1,113 105 107 0 
			 Sussex 925 1,214 220 8 9 
			 Thames Valley 1,213 1,778 267 47 2 
			 Warwickshire 254 433 76 0 1 
			 West Mercia 656 1,080 132 0 0 
			 West Midlands 2,446 2,277 398 0 0 
			 West Yorkshire 1,552 2,068 331 0 2 
			 Wiltshire 334 531 62 84 0 
			 Dyfed-Powys 310 392 35 12 5 
			 Gwent 379 486 73 0 9 
			 North Wales 416 573 81 9 0 
			 South Wales 775 1,077 156 39 19 
			 Total 36,988 48,556 7,399 1,621 206 
			 (1) This table contains full-time equivalent figures that have been rounded to the nearest whole number.  (2) Police staff excludes PCSOs, TWs and DOs.

Police: Finance

Graham Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department who will meet the costs of any referendum in cases where the police precept exceeds the prescribed limit.

Nick Herbert: Police authorities whose police precept increases cause a referendum to be held will be responsible for meeting the costs of that referendum.

Police: Finance

Hazel Blears: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what assessment she has made of the likely effects on future levels of police authority precepts of the police funding settlement in the 2010 spending review.

Nick Herbert: The independent Office for Budget Responsibility assumes that after freezing the precept in England in 2011-12, police authorities would on average choose to increase precept in line with historical trend growth.

Police: Finance

Karl Turner: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what estimate she has made of the likely effect on the number of  (a) police officers and  (b) community police support officers in Yorkshire and the Humber of the police funding settlement in the 2010 comprehensive spending review.

Nick Herbert: My right hon. Friend the Home Secretary will place the Government's proposed allocations for individual forces before Parliament in early December.
	We have been clear that the police service must play its part in reducing the deficit. Decisions about the number of police officers, police community support officers and other police staff engaged by the four forces in the Yorkshire and Humber region and how they are deployed are matters for each of the chief constables and their police authorities.

Police: Finance

Conor Burns: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department 
	(1)  whether the funding formula for police authorities takes account of the number of miles of motorway in each police force area; and if she will make a statement;
	(2)  whether the funding formula for police authorities takes account of the number of tourists visiting each police force area; and if she will make a statement;
	(3)  whether the funding formula for police authorities takes account of the  (a) number and  (b) concentration of licensed premises in each police force area.

Nick Herbert: The police allocation formula in its current form does not take account of the miles of motorway within each police force area, or the number of tourists visiting that area. It does, however, take account of the number and concentration of licensed premises in a police force area.
	The Government have been consulting on changes to the police allocation formula and will set out their conclusions when provisional policing settlements for individual forces are placed before the House of Commons in early December.

Police: Finance

Angela Eagle: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if she will make an estimate of the likely cost to police forces as a result of the spending reductions proposed in the comprehensive spending review.

Nick Herbert: Core Government funding to the police will be reduced by 20% in real terms over the four years to 2014-15. This is a fair and manageable settlement over the spending review period.
	Detail on what the spending review settlement will mean for each force will follow in early December when provisional policing settlements will be placed before the House of Commons.

Police: Helicopters

Ian Lucas: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the  (a) make,  (b) model and  (c) date of acquisition was of each helicopter acquired by police forces in England and Wales since 2000.

Nick Herbert: holding answer 4 November 2010
	There are currently 31 helicopters in service across police forces in England and Wales. 26 of these aircraft have been purchased directly by police forces since 2000, three have been leased and the remaining two were purchased in 1999.
	The make, model and date of acquisition by police force since 2000 is shown in the following table.
	In addition to the aircraft in the table, there are also three leased helicopters. These are:
	Norfolk-a single Eurocopter AS355;
	South Wales and Gwent-a single Eurocopter 135;
	and Wiltshire-a single MDI 902.
	
		
			  Police helicopters by make/model and date of acquisition: 
			  Police force  Helicopter make  Helicopter model  Date of acquisition 
			 Avon and Somerset Eurocopter 135 2002 
			 Gloucestershire (1)- (1)- (1)- 
			 Cambridgeshire MDI 902 2006 
			 Essex Eurocopter 135 2003 
			 Suffolk Eurocopter 135 2010 
			 Cheshire Eurocopter 135 2010 
			 Derbyshire Eurocopter 135 2004 
			 Nottinghamshire (1)- (1)- (1)- 
			 Devon and Cornwall Eurocopter 145 2010 
			 Dyfed Powys Augusta Westland 109 2004 
			 Greater Manchester MDI 902 2008 
			 Humberside MDI 902 2001 
			 Lancashire Eurocopter 135 2002 
			 Leicestershire Eurocopter 135 2007 
			 Northamptonshire (1)- (1)- (1)- 
			 Warwickshire (1)- (1)- (1)- 
			 Merseyside Eurocopter 13b 2002 
			 Metropolitan Police Eurocopter 145 (x3) 2006 
			 City of London (1)- (1)- (1)- 
			 Northumbria Eurocopter 135 2004 
			 Durham (1)- (1)- (1)- 
			 Cleveland Eurocopter 135 2010 
			 North Wales Eurocopter 135 2010 
			 South Yorkshire MDI 902 2003 
			 Surrey Eurocopter 135 2003 
			 Thames Valley Eurocopter 135 2010 
			 Bedfordshire (1)- 135 2002 
			 Hertfordshire (1)- (1)- (1)- 
			 West Mercia Eurocopter 135 (x2) 2010 
			 Staffordshire (1)- (1)- (1)- 
			 West Midlands (1)- (1)- (1)- 
			 West Yorkshire MDI 902 2000 
			 (1) Indicates brace (please see notes) Notes: 1. Avon and Somerset and Gloucestershire share a single Eurocopter 135 helicopter which is managed through the Western Counties Air Support Unit. 2. Derbyshire and Nottinghamshire share a single Eurocopter 135 helicopter which is managed through the North Midlands Air Support Unit. 3. Cleveland have this year purchased a MDI 902 helicopter which is scheduled for delivery in January 2011. 4. Leicestershire, Northamptonshire and Warwickshire share a single Eurocopter 135 helicopter which is managed through the East Midlands Air Support Unit. 5. Metropolitan Police and City of London share three Eurocopter 145 helicopters. 6. Northumbria and Durham share a single Eurocopter 135 helicopter which is managed through the North East Air Support Unit. 7. Thames Valley, Bedfordshire and Hertfordshire share two Eurocopter 135 aircraft which are managed through the Chiltern Air Support Unit. 8. West Mercia, Staffordshire and West Midlands share two Eurocopter 135 helicopters which are managed through the Central Counties Air Support Unit. 9. Dorset have a single Eurocopter 145 helicopter which was purchased in 1999, so they do no appear on the above list. 10. Sussex purchased a single MDI 902 helicopter in 1999, so they do not appear on the above list.

Police: Management

David Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many staff Essex police employed at management grades in each of the last three years; and what the average salary was of such staff in each such year.

Nick Herbert: Available data are provided in the following table which shows police officer strength in Essex police by rank as at 31 March 2008, 2009 and 2010.
	Information on police staff is only collected centrally in total figures and is not broken down by grades. Therefore it is not possible to distinguish those who are in management grades and those who are not.
	Figures on the average salary of Essex police staff are not collected centrally.
	
		
			  Police officer strength as at 31 March 2008, 2009 and 2010 by Essex police and rank( 1) 
			   2007-08  2008-09  2009-10 
			 ACPO rank 5 5 5 
			 Chief superintendent 14 12 10 
			 Superintendent 20 22 23 
			 Chief inspector 46 39 44 
			 Inspector 137 145 147 
			 Sergeant 499 504 527 
			 Constable 2,663 2,757 2,850 
			 Total 3,385 3,484 3,606 
			 (1) This table contains full-time equivalent figures that have been rounded to the nearest whole number. Because of rounding, there may be an apparent discrepancy between totals and the sums of the constituent items.

Police: Pensions

John Mann: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many police officers have been retired under regulation A19A in  (a) each of the last 20 years and  (b) 2010 to date.

Nick Herbert: holding answer 28 October 2010
	 The requested information is not collected centrally.

Police: Redundancy

Angela Eagle: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department 
	(1)  if she will make an estimate of the number of redundancies likely to be made by police forces as a result of the spending reductions proposed in the comprehensive spending review;
	(2)  if she will make an estimate of the number of police officers likely to be made redundant as a result of the spending reductions proposed in the comprehensive spending review;
	(3)  if she will make an estimate of the number of police community service officers likely to be made redundant as a result of the spending reductions proposed in the comprehensive spending review;
	(4)  if she will make an estimate of the number of police civilian support officers likely to be made redundant as a result of the spending reductions proposed in the comprehensive spending review.

Nick Herbert: Detail on what the spending review settlement will mean for each force will follow in early December when provisional policing settlements will be placed before the House of Commons.
	The effectiveness of a police force does not depend primarily on the absolute number of staff but the way the workforce is used. Decisions about the number of police officers, police community support officers and other police staff engaged by forces and how they are deployed are matters for individual chief constables and their police authorities.

Police: Wales

Ian Lucas: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many  (a) police officers and  (b) police community support officers she expects to be employed in North Wales in each of the next four years.

Nick Herbert: Information on numbers of police officers and police community support officers expected to be employed in the future is not available centrally. It is important that each police force has the right mix of police officers and police support staff so as to deliver the best service possible to the public. It is not for the Government to determine how many officers and police community support officers are engaged by the North Wales police. This is a local decision for chief constable and the police authority.

Police: Wales

Elfyn Llwyd: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how much funding her Department allocated to the police service in North Wales in 2009-10; and how much funding she plans to allocate in  (a) 2010-11 and  (b) 2011-12.

Nick Herbert: The information requested for years 2009-10 and 2010-11 is set out in the following table.
	Detail on 2011-12 funding allocations for individual forces, including North Wales, will be announced in early December when the provisional police settlements will be placed before the House of Commons.
	
		
			  North Wales Government grants 
			   £ million 
			 2009-10(1) 92.2 
			 2010-11(2, 3) 93.1 
			 (1, 2) Government grants comprises: Home Office Police Grant; Welsh Assembly Government Revenue Support Grant and National Non-Domestic Rates; Welsh Top-up; Crime Fighting Fund; Basic Command Unit Fund; Neighbourhood Policing Fund; Rule 2 Grant; Capital Grant. Excludes Counter Terrorism Funding. (3) Takes account of in-year reductions in July 2010.

Radicalism

Stephen Hammond: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what recent representations she has received on the  (a) presence in the UK of and  (b) use of the internet and satellite television broadcasts by extremist groups targeting the Ahmadiyya Muslim community in (i) the UK and (ii) Pakistan; and what steps she is taking to ensure such groups comply with UK law.

Nick Herbert: My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for the Home Department has not received any recent representations on the presence in the UK, and use of internet and satellite television broadcasts by extremists groups targeting the Ahmadiyya community in either the UK or Pakistan.
	Within the UK, Ofcom regulates internet and satellite broadcasts under the Communications Act 2003. If there is any evidence of incitement in the activities of a broadcaster then a complaint should be lodged with Ofcom directly.

Raoul Moat

Guy Opperman: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when she expects her Department's reviews of the circumstances surrounding the death of Raoul Moat to be completed.

Nick Herbert: The Home Office is not conducting a review of the circumstances surrounding the death of Raoul Moat. The circumstances surrounding the death are the subject of an independent investigation by the Independent Police Complaints Commission (IPCC). The handling of the investigation is a matter for the IPCC.

Sex: Advertising

Stephen Mosley: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if she will bring forward proposals to ban sex for sale advertising.

Lynne Featherstone: We do not believe it is appropriate to advertise sexual services in local newspapers and welcome the guidance published on this by the Newspaper Society in recent years. An outright ban on advertising sexual services would require legislation which we do not believe would be effectively enforceable. We will look at this issue more closely and consider what more can be done to prevent advertising of sexual services in the media.

Squatting

David Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department 
	(1)  what guidance her Department issues to the police on the treatment of squatters; what recent discussions she has had with the police on treatment of squatters; and if she will make a statement;
	(2)  what recent representations she has received on the adequacy of police powers to remove squatters from residential property; what response she provided in each case; and if she will make a statement.

Nick Herbert: I have not received any specific representations on the adequacy of police powers to remove squatters from residential property, but I understand that my right hon. and learned Friend, the Lord Chancellor has received a number of representations on the subject. The Home Office has not issued any specific guidance to the police on the treatment of squatters.
	The Ministry of Justice is currently looking at the law on trespass, and the way it is enforced, in association with the Association of Chief Police Officers, other Government Departments, including the Home Office and the Crown Prosecution Service, to see if any strengthening or guidance is needed.

Stop and Search

David Lammy: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what plans she has for the future  (a) content and  (b) use of stop and account forms; and if she will make a statement.

Nick Herbert: The Government are committed to reducing unnecessary bureaucracy to allow the police to focus on police work rather than paperwork. Stop and account records provide little meaningful intelligence and disproportionality levels are significantly lower than stop and search. That is why we previously announced our intention to cease the national requirement for completion of the stop and account form by the end of this year.
	However, we recognise that there may be some local police forces that will wish to continue to monitor the ethnicity of people stopped, where there are concerns about the use of stop and account. In such circumstances, they will remain able to use the stop and account form.

Terrorism

Philip Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many persons convicted of a terrorist offence in each of the last three years had one or more previous convictions  (a) in the UK and  (b) in overseas jurisdictions.

Nick Herbert: The Home Office does not collate statistics in this way. The Home Office does however publish statistics on arrests and outcomes under the Terrorism Act 2000 (Operation of Police Powers under the Terrorism Act 2000 and Subsequent Legislation: Arrests, Outcomes and Stops and Searches). The link to the last edition of the annual publication is provided as follows:
	http://rds.homeoffice.gov.uk/rds/pdfs10/hosb1010.pdf

Written Questions: Government Responses

David Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when she expects to answer question 15709, on payments by Essex police authority, tabled by the hon. Member for Southend West on 13 September 2010; and if she will make a statement.

Nick Herbert: I replied to my hon. Friend on 25 October 2010,  Official Report, columns 74-75W. I am sorry for the delay in replying to my hon. Friend.

HEALTH

Alzheimer's Disease

Jim Shannon: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many people resident in England were  (a) diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease and  (b) prescribed medication intended to slow the progress of the disease in each of the last three years.

Paul Burstow: The national Quality and Outcomes Framework (QOF) records the number of patients registered with practices in England who had a diagnosis of dementia. It is likely that out of this Alzheimer's disease accounts for approximately 50 to 70% of cases of dementia.
	The numbers of such patients for the last three financial years is in the following table:
	
		
			  Patients on QOF dementia register 
			   Number 
			 2007-08 220,246 
			 2008-09 232,430 
			 2009-10 249,463 
		
	
	We believe however that these figures underestimate the actual number of people in England who have dementia. The Department does not hold figures on the number of people resident in England diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease. However, it is estimated that approximately 610,000 people in England have the condition. Because of this level of under-diagnosis, one of the Government's priority objectives in implementing the National Dementia Strategy is increasing the early diagnosis of dementia.
	The Department does not hold data on how many people resident in England were prescribed medication intended to slow the progress of Alzheimer's disease. The British National Formulary lists the drugs donepezil, galantamine, memantine and rivastigmine as treatments for dementia. In addition, there is an unlicensed drug, idebenone, which is also used for dementia. The number of prescriptions for these drugs dispensed in England to 2009 is in the following table.
	
		
			  Items 
			   Number (thousand) 
			 2007 905.7 
			 2008 1,060.1 
			 2009 1,252.7

Ambulance Services: South East

Helen Grant: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what estimate he has made of the savings to the public purse in each of the next 10 years attributable to the transition of the South East Coast Ambulance Service to the Make Ready scheme.

Simon Burns: It is the responsibility of the South East Coast Ambulance Service to estimate the savings in each of the next 10 years attributable to the Make Ready Scheme. As this is a matter for the local national health service, the Department has not made such an estimate.

Ambulance Services: South East

Helen Grant: To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether he has made a recent assessment of progress in the South East Coast Ambulance Service's implementation of the Make Ready scheme; and if he will make a statement.

Simon Burns: This is a matter for the local national health service. However, the South East Coast Strategic Health Authority has advised that the South East Coast Ambulance Service NHS Trust is rolling out its Make Ready initiative across the South East Coast region. There are currently three Make Ready depots in operation in Hastings, Chertsey and Thanet, and the trust plans to introduce nine more over the coming years.

Atos Healthcare

James Morris: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what estimate he has made of the cost to the public purse of his Department's contracts with Atos Healthcare in the last five years.

Simon Burns: The Department engaged Atos Healthcare as its provider of occupational health services from October 2006 to June 2010.
	Figures are only available from 1 July 2008, when the Department's new business management system was implemented. Obtaining spend information prior to this date could be achieved only at disproportionate cost.
	From 1 July 2008 the total cost to the public purse of contracts with Atos Healthcare was £81,525.

Balloon Dilation Surgery

Anna Soubry: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what recent assessment his Department has made of the  (a) safety and  (b) viability of providing balloon dilation surgery to people diagnosed with chronic cerebrospinal venous insufficiency.

Paul Burstow: We understand that the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence is monitoring the availability of evidence relating to balloon angioplasty with or without stenting for chronic cerebrospinal venous insufficiency in multiple sclerosis as part of its interventional procedures programme and further information is available at:
	http://guidance.nice.org.uk/IP/891
	The Department has undertaken no such assessments.

Benzodiazepines

Eric Ollerenshaw: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what clinical trial evidence his Department holds on the safety for patient use of lorazepam.

Simon Burns: At the time of licensing Ativan (original brand name for lorazepam), the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency's predecessor, the Medicines Division of the Department of Health and Social Security, considered that the data provided were sufficient, in terms of the evidence of quality, safety and efficacy, to allow the grant of a marketing authorisation. The Committee on the Review of Medicines also considered the risk:benefit balance of Ativan to be positive in relation to quality, safety and efficacy.
	The licences for all oral Ativan products were cancelled in 2008 at the request of the marketing authorisation holder for commercial reasons and the Department no longer holds the original clinical trial data which supported these applications.
	A number of generic lorazepam products have been approved in the United Kingdom following a thorough assessment of the data submitted by the applicant companies. However, under the terms of the Directive 2001/83/EC (article 10.1 'generic application' or article 10c 'informed consent') the product information for the new generic must reflect the safety information contained within the brand leader's product information and these applications do not need to be supported by new clinical trials investigating safety.
	The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency continuously monitors the safety of medicines using a variety of sources including information from clinical studies, published literature, spontaneous case reports, data from marketing authorisation holders as well as other regulatory authorities. This information is used to ensure that up to date information is provided in the product information, which consists of the Summary of Product Characteristics (SPC) and Patient Information Leaflet, to aid the safe use of the medicine for the approved indication.

Breast Cancer: Health Services

Nicholas Dakin: To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether GPs will be responsible for commissioning breast cancer services under his proposed reforms to the NHS; and if he will make a statement.

Simon Burns: Consortiums of general practitioner (GP) practices working with other health and care professionals will commission the great majority of national health service services for their patients, including breast cancer services. They will not be directly responsible for commissioning services that GPs themselves provide, nor will they will be responsible for commissioning the other family health services. These will be the responsibility of the NHS Commissioning Board, as will national and regional specialised commissioning. The Board will also be hosting some clinical commissioning networks, for example for rarer cancers and transplant services, to pool specialist expertise.
	GPs play a crucial role in co-ordinating patient care and committing NHS resources through daily clinical decisions. This new model of commissioning draws on the regular contact that GPs have with patients and their more detailed understanding of patients' wider health care needs.
	To support GP consortiums in their commissioning decisions, we will create an independent NHS Commissioning Board. The Board will provide leadership for quality improvement through commissioning. This will include setting commissioning guidelines on the basis of clinically approved quality standards developed with advice from the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence, in a way that promotes joint working across health, public health and social care.

Breast Cancer: Screening

John Leech: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what recent steps he has taken to increase the uptake of breast cancer screening appointments; and if he will make a statement.

Paul Burstow: The National Health Service Breast Screening Programme (NHS BSP) is renowned as being one of the best screening programmes in the world, with over three quarters of women invited choosing to participate. However, it is important that we are careful to promote breast screening in a responsible way, so that women can make an informed choice on whether to be screened or not. Like other methods of screening, mammography is not perfect.
	Despite this, we do know that women from certain groups are less likely to take up their invitation for breast screening. Primary care trusts (PCTs) are responsible for commissioning the NHS BSP locally and for organising local screening awareness initiatives as appropriate. In March 2010 the Department published "Reducing cancer inequality: evidence, progress and making it happen: a report by the National Cancer Equality Initiative". A copy has already been placed in the Library. The report recommended that PCTs review local levels of screening coverage and uptake to consider whether further action is required to improve coverage and uptake.

Channing Wheeler

Frank Dobson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health between what dates Mr R Channing Wheeler was employed by his Department; what his job description was; and how much was paid to him in  (a) salary,  (b) bonuses,  (c) London allowance,  (d) expenses and  (e) other allowances.

Simon Burns: Mr Channing Wheeler was appointed director-general of the Commercial Directorate. The key objectives of the advertised role were:
	to promote and enable the Department and the national health service to follow best commercial and procurement practices;
	to secure best value and greater levels of effectiveness within the Department and the NHS;
	to develop and strategically manage relationships with the private sector in order to enable it to contribute to NHS reform;
	to provide commercial input to departmental strategic reviews and policy decisions;
	to act as an enabler for the delivery of key reform areas; and
	to contribute to the formation of the Department/NHS policy from a commercial perspective to help deliver efficiency throughout the Department and the NHS through the application of commercial expertise.
	Mr Wheeler received a salary including bonus in the range £200,000 to £205,000 at the time of his departure in July 2008. Mr Wheeler was not in receipt of a London allowance. When Mr Wheeler was appointed, his contract included payment of a relocation allowance and reimbursement of rent and related expenses. In 2008-09, Mr Wheeler was reimbursed a total of £20,903.

Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease: Health Services

Catherine McKinnell: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the cost to the NHS was of  (a) treatment and  (b) prevention of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease in each of the last three years.

Simon Burns: The Department does not calculate an annual estimate of treatment and prevention costs for Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD), but recent calculations have been made as part of the 2010 Consultation on a Strategy for Services for COPD in England. The results are summarised in the following table, taken from the Consultation Impact Assessment.
	
		
			  Category of treatment cost - all estimates per annum and in 2008-09 prices 
			  £ million 
			   Central estimate  Maximum 
			 Primary care 78 198 
			 Pharmaceuticals 263 263 
			 Secondary care 386 386 
			 Community services: oxygen therapy 63 63 
			 Total 790 910 
			  Notes: The £78 million estimate is derived from 772,000 patients with recorded COPD, an estimate of 2.76 GP consultations per person per year and a unit cost of £36.50 per GP consultation. The 2.76 based on the number of consultations with COPD recorded as the reason for the consultation. The £198 million estimate is derived from 772,000 patients with recorded COPD, an estimate of 7.03 GP consultations per person per year and a unit cost of £36.50 per GP consultation. The 7.03 is based on all GP consultations that each patient has; some of these will have been unrelated to COPD. Patients will have GP appointments where COPD is not recorded as the reason for the appointment, but where COPD was nonetheless a contributor to the appointment; kind of like a secondary diagnosis. Ref: Consultation on a Strategy for Services for COPD in England (Department of Health, 2010). Includes Impact Assessment. http://webarchive.nationalarchives.gov.uk/+/www.dh.gov.uk/en/Consultations/Liveconsultations/DH_112977 Statistics on NHS Stop Smoking Services (NHS Information Centre for Health and Social Care, 2010).  www.ic.nhs.uk/statistics-and-data-collections/health-and-lifestyles/nhs-stop-smoking-services 
		
	
	Several departmental/national health service activities contribute to COPD prevention and exacerbation prevention, including influenza vaccination, pneumococcal vaccination and Stop Smoking services. These activities also help prevent other diseases, so it is difficult to attribute a precise fraction of their cost to COPD. The Impact Assessment estimates an attributed cost of £20 million per annum for the vaccinations. Data from the NHS Information Centre for Health and Social Care show total expenditure on Stop Smoking Services (excluding pharmaceuticals) of £60.8 million in 2007-08, £73.7 million in 2008-09 and £83.9 million in 2009-10.

Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease: Health Services

Catherine McKinnell: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps he plans to take to improve the  (a) treatment and  (b) prevention of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.

Simon Burns: The proposals to improve the prevention and treatment of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) are set out in the consultation on the Strategy for Services for People with COPD in England. The consultation document has already been placed in the Library and can be found on the Department's website at:
	http://webarchive.nationalarchives.gov.uk/+/www.dh.gov.uk/en/Consultations/Liveconsultations/DH_112977
	The Department is currently considering the responses to that consultation.

Contraceptives

David Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  what recent assessment he has made of the effect of providing free contraceptives on the rates of sexually transmitted diseases; and if he will make a statement.;
	(2)  what assessment his Department has made of the effect of providing free contraceptives to persons under 16 years of age on the rates of sexually transmitted diseases in each year since 1997; what the evidential basis for this assessment was; and if he will make a statement.

Anne Milton: There is no evidence to suggest that there is a direct link between the availability of free contraception and the rates of sexually transmitted infections (STIs). The risks of catching an STI are considerably reduced through using a condom when having sex with a new partner.
	Contraception has been free for everyone since 1974. Contraception is available in the community from family planning clinics and general practitioners and we are keen to encourage its widespread use, including by young people where this is appropriate.
	Health professionals are able to give contraceptive and sexual health advice and treatment to under 16-year-olds without parental knowledge or consent, in cases where the young person's physical or mental health, or both, would be likely to suffer and the young person understood the treatment and advice proposed and its implications.

Darent Valley Hospital: Finance

Gareth Johnson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health pursuant to the answer of 2 November 2010,  Official Report, column 762W, on winter pressures: NHS, what resources he plans to allocate to Darent Valley hospital for patients in the winter of 2010-11 who would otherwise have been treated at the accident and emergency department of Queen Mary's Hospital, Sidcup.

Simon Burns: There are no plans to allocate extra resources to Darent Valley hospital for this purpose, as, under the Payment by Results system, hospitals are paid by commissioners for all activity within the scope of the national tariff, adjusted by the Market Forces Factor to take account of unavoidable local cost differences. As tariff payments follow the patient, an increase in activity at Darent Valley hospital would result in it attracting tariff payments that it otherwise would not have received had those patients been treated elsewhere.

Dental Services: Finance

Valerie Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  whether he plans to ring-fence the salaried primary dental care services budget;
	(2)  if he will assess the merits of ring-fencing the salaried primary dental care services budget.

Paul Burstow: We see no merit in restricting the freedom of the local NHS commissioning body, currently primary care trusts, to judge the appropriate level of resources required for dental services in each area, or to consider any appropriate type of supplier to provide any element of such services.

Dental Services: Regulation

Paul Beresford: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many responses his Department received to its consultation on extending to dental practitioners the regulatory powers of the Care Quality Commission.

Simon Burns: The Department received 230 responses to the consultation that included the proposal to register providers of primary dental care issued in March 2008. Approximately half of the respondents commented on the registration of primary care providers. Of those, 98 commented on the registration of dentists. The proposal was supported by the overwhelming majority of those who commented, with only two responses against registration of primary dental care providers.

Dental Services: Regulation

Paul Beresford: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will place in the Library a copy of the response of the  (a) British Dental Association and  (b) General Dental Council to his Department's consultation on extending to dental practitioners the regulatory powers of the Care Quality Commission.

Simon Burns: The consultation responses from the British Dental Association and the General Dental Council were published alongside the Government's response to the consultation in March 2009. Copies have already been placed in the Library and are available on the archived section of the Department's website at:
	http://webarchive.nationalarchives.gov.uk/+/www.dh.gov.uk/en/Consultations/Responsestoconsultations/DH_107628

Dental Services: Regulation

Paul Beresford: To ask the Secretary of State for Health which dental organisations he has met to discuss the proposed extension to dental practitioners of the regulatory powers of the Care Quality Commission.

Simon Burns: My noble Friend the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Quality (Earl Howe) has discussed the registration of primary dental care providers with the Care Quality Commission (CQC) in separate meetings with the British Dental Association and The General Dental Council. He has also discussed CQC with the private insurer Denplan and has discussed it in the course of visits to individual dental practices.

Dental Services: Regulation

Paul Beresford: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment he has made of the appropriateness of the scope of the  (a) proposed regulatory powers of the Care Quality Commission in respect of dental practitioners and (b) powers of other organisations that regulate dental practitioners.

Simon Burns: In October 2009, the Department undertook and published an impact assessment of regulation of primary medical and dental care providers under the Health and Social Care Act (2008). The impact assessment considered the cost and benefits of registering primary care providers.
	The current regulatory arrangements for primary care focus on the competence of the individual professional. The Care Quality Commission will actively monitor providers' compliance against registration requirements, focusing on the way that organisations are managed and the way their systems work. For example, organisations must meet requirements around cleanliness and infection control, medicines management, premises and equipment. These safety issues, as well as a number of other registration requirements are not covered in full by other bodies.

Dental Services: Regulation

Paul Beresford: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps his Department is taking to inform dental practitioners of the registration requirements of the Care Quality Commission.

Simon Burns: The Chief Dental Officer's Update in June 2009 first referred to the requirement for the Care Quality Commission (CQC) registration from April 2011. This is sent to all registered dental practitioners.
	CQC, as the independent regulator for health and adult social care, is responsible for implementing the legislation and has been engaging with primary dental care providers to ensure that they are aware of the need to register and of the essential levels of safety and quality that must be met in order to be registered. This has included:
	CQC making information available to primary dental care providers through a range of online media since January 2010-this includes a monthly e-bulletin, information on the CQC website and an online Provider Reference Group with approximately 170 members;
	CQC running events-CQC has run five regional events on dental registration which had an overall attendance of 600, a corporate provider event, and pilot events on the application process with three primary care trust dental providers;
	CQC staff presenting at a range of events for dental practitioners including key conferences for dental professionals, seven national Primary Care Commissioning 'Dental Networking' events and at local dental committees; and
	CQC issuing an introductory registration letter and introductory booklet to 7,500 contacts. This was also sent to relevant trade associations for onward distribution to wholly private primary dental care providers.

Departmental Early Retirement

Philip Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many staff of  (a) his Department and  (b) its agencies have been offered enhanced early retirement packages in each of the last three years.

Simon Burns: For the core Department the numbers of people who have been offered enhanced retirement packages in the last three years are presented in the following table:
	
		
			   Number 
			 2008-09 9 
			 2009-10 2 
			 2010-11 5 
		
	
	There have been no cases where staff at the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency have been offered enhanced early retirement packages within the last three years.
	Until 31 December 2009, the Department had a second agency-the NHS Procurement and Supplies Agency (PASA). No information is available centrally about retirement packages offered to staff from PASA.

Departmental Public Expenditure

David Mowat: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  what his Department's capital expenditure per head was in  (a) London and  (b) the North West in each of the last five years;
	(2)  how much and what proportion of his Department's capital expenditure was allocated to  (a) London and  (b) the North West in each of the last five financial years.

Simon Burns: The information is shown in the following tables.
	
		
			  Table 1: Strategic health authority (SHA), primary care trust (PCT) and NHS trust capital allocation 
			  £000 
			   2005-06  2006-07  2007-08  2008-09  2009-10 
			 London 421,545 402,822 484,033 443,371 735,199 
			 North West 339,087 421,111 329,189 225,154 437,816 
			 England 2,404,604 2,409,270 2,365,297 2,110,858 3,213,475 
		
	
	
		
			  Table 2: SHA, PCT and NHS trust capital allocation 
			  Percentage of total 
			   2005-06  2006-07  2007-08  2008-09  2009-10 
			 London 18 17 20 21 23 
			 North West 14 17 14 11 14 
			 England 100 100 100 100 100 
		
	
	
		
			  Table 3: SHA, PCT and NHS trust capital allocation per head 
			  £ 
			   2005-06  2006-07  2007-08  2008-09  2009-10 
			 London 59 53 64 58 95 
			 North West 50 61 48 32 63 
			 England 49 48 47 41 62 
			  Notes: 1. The figures in each table represent the capital resource limit (CRL) from the audited summarisation schedules of national health service bodies, 2005-06 to 2009-10, presented in value terms (table 1), as a percentage of the total CRL (table 2), and on a per head of population basis (table 3). 2. 2005-06 to 2008-09 figures compiled under United Kingdom Generally Accepted Accounting Practice (UK GAAP). 2009-10 figures compiled under International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS). 3. The Department does not collect data from NHS foundation trusts. Where an NHS trust obtains foundation trust status part way through any year, the data provided is only for the part of the year the organisation operated as an NHS trust.

Departmental Public Expenditure

Lisa Nandy: To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether his Department has established processes to monitor any effects of proposed reductions in its expenditure.

Simon Burns: National health service expenditure has not been cut. Despite the difficult economic conditions and the need for fiscal consolidation, the coalition Government have honoured their commitment to protect NHS spending in real terms in each of the next four years.
	Within the overall health settlement, the Government have said that they will reduce spending on administration costs, in order to focus funding on the front-line. The effects of this reduction will be for the individual organisations across the health sector to manage.
	Through the quality, innovation, productivity and prevention process, the NHS is developing plans to improve both the quality and efficiency of services and will be held to account for delivering better health outcomes through the NHS Outcomes Framework.

Departmental Recruitment

David Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many members of the Senior Civil Service his Department has recruited in each of the last three years; at what cost to the public purse that recruitment was undertaken in each such year; and if he will make a statement.

Simon Burns: From 1 April 2007 to October 2010, the Department recruited 23 senior civil servants from outside the civil service. Information about the cost to the public purse of these recruitments could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

Departmental Sick Leave

Clive Betts: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what estimate he has made of the average cost to his Department of referring an employee on sick leave to  (a) Atos Healthcare and  (b) other healthcare assessors in the latest period for which figures are available; and if he will make a statement.

Simon Burns: The average cost of a departmental management referral to Atos healthcare in 2009-10 was £40.26 (net).
	There were 185 occupational health referrals in 2009-10, at a cost of £7,634.19 (net).
	These figures include the cost of management referrals and of obtaining further medical evidence. The figures do not include the monthly fixed cost price to deliver the provision. The cost of pre-employment checks are also excluded.
	The Department's contract with Atos Healthcare came to an end on 30 June 2010.
	A new provider, Medigold, has provided occupational health services for the Department and its agency, the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency, since 1 July 2010. There is a fixed price agreement in place with Medigold for the service provision. As this is a relatively new contract, information is not yet available about average cost figures for the current financial year.

General Practitioners

Tom Blenkinsop: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what mechanism his Department plans to put in place to deal with financial failure or closure of GP commissioning consortia.

Simon Burns: "Liberating the NHS: Commissioning for Patients", published on 22 July, sets out that consortia will be accountable to the NHS Commissioning Board for the outcomes they achieve, their stewardship of public resources, and their fulfilment of the duties placed upon them. A copy of the publication has already been placed in the Library.
	If a consortium does not perform its functions adequately, or there is a risk that it will not be able to perform its functions, the NHS Commissioning Board will have powers to intervene.
	We will work with the profession and the national health service to develop the criteria or triggers for intervention. It is envisaged that any intervention would typically be a staged process, so that, wherever possible, a consortium has the opportunity to take remedial action itself. Any process would need to be in accordance with a transparent statutory framework of rules.

General Practitioners

Tom Blenkinsop: To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether the debts of primary care trusts will be written off when their functions are transferred to GP commissioning consortia.

Simon Burns: The Department is working with the strategic health authorities to address circumstances where primary care trusts (PCTs) owe money, with the expectation that any debt will be fully resolved by the end of 2012-13. The issue of PCT debt will be covered in further detail in the NHS Operating Framework for 2011-12.

General Practitioners

Tom Blenkinsop: To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether he plans to establish an approved list of private sector companies from which GP commissioning consortia may purchase services.

Simon Burns: General practitioner (GP) consortia will receive a management allowance and be free to decide what commissioning activities they undertake for themselves and for which activities they choose to buy in support from external organisations, including local authorities, private and voluntary sector bodies. Discussions are ongoing as to how the arrangements will work in practice. No decisions have been taken on whether national commercial arrangements should be established to support GP consortia.
	Liberating the NHS: Commissioning for Patients invited views on a number of areas of the commissioning agenda, including how to support consortia in assessing commissioning support organisations. The engagement exercise closed on 11 October and the Department is now analysing all of the contributions received.

General Practitioners: Training

Andrea Leadsom: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans he has for the future of GP training; and whether GP practices will be able to recruit trainees direct from deaneries.

Anne Milton: There are no plans currently to change the national recruitment system for general practitioner trainees.
	The Department has committed to publishing a consultation on proposals for education and training, based on the principles in the White Paper.
	The system will be driven by health care provider decisions underpinned by strong clinical leadership. It will be set within the context of delivering appropriate investment in work force education and training, while ensuring better outcomes for patients and value for money.
	The system will need to ensure appropriate checks, balances and accountability. The arrangements for commissioning and delivery will be transparent and more efficient.

Health Education: Greater London

David Evennett: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps his Department plans to take to increase awareness of public health in deprived areas in London; and if he will make a statement.

Anne Milton: The forthcoming public health White Paper will set out a radical approach to public health that will include details of how we intend to improve the health of the poorest, fastest.
	In London, the Regional Director of Public Health is already leading work addressing public health in deprived areas of London. This includes his support of the Mayor's regional health inequalities strategy and delivering the promised regeneration legacy for the five "Olympic" boroughs that were chosen as the location for the 2012 games due to their historic deprivation.

Health Services: Children

Oliver Colvile: To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether he has made an estimate of the number of primary care trusts required for his proposals for integrated paediatric continence services referred to in the National Service Framework for Children, Young People and Maternity Services; and what plans he has for such integrated services under which GP-led consortia.

Anne Milton: It is important that professionals and commissioners work together to meet the needs of children and young people who are incontinent. To support this, in September 2010 the Department published an exemplar under the National Service Framework for Children, Young People and Maternity on Continence Issues for a child with learning difficulties. A copy of the document has been placed in the Library.
	Prior to this, the NHS bulletin for August 2010, had reminded chief executives of primary care trusts of the need to consider local arrangements to ensure compliance with the existing best practice guidance 'Good Practice in Continence Services' and the National Service Framework for Children, Young People and Maternity Services. A copy of the document has been placed in the Library.
	We will expect general practitioner consortia to involve relevant health and social care professionals from all sectors in helping design care pathways or care packages that achieve more integrated delivery of care, higher quality, and more efficient use of national health service resources. We will be working with the NHS and professional bodies in the transition to the new arrangements to promote multi-professional involvement.

Health Services: Third Sector

Penny Mordaunt: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment he has made of the potential role of third sector organisations in providing expert guidance to GP consortia and other new commissioning bodies; and if he will make a statement.

Simon Burns: Under the proposals set out in the White Paper 'Equity and Excellence: Liberating the NHS', we envisage that commissioning consortia will receive a maximum management allowance to reflect the costs of commissioning. General practitioner consortia will be able to decide which commissioning activities they undertake for themselves and for which activities they choose to buy in expertise and support from external organisations, including from third sector bodies.
	Charities and voluntary organisations have a vital contribution to make to health and care, not only as the providers of services but also as advocates, partners in the co-design of services and involvers and engagers of local communities. The voluntary sector could, for instance, be well placed to support commissioners in developing needs assessments and commissioning guidelines.
	We are committed to promoting continuous improvement in the quality of services for patients and greater opportunities for involvement of independent and voluntary providers in offering more responsive and personalised services.

Hereditary Diseases

Jim Fitzpatrick: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what data are collected  (a) centrally and  (b) by local health authorities on genetic conditions causing increased morbidity and mortality in children born to first cousin parents; and if he will make a statement.

Anne Milton: The Department does not routinely collect this information centrally. The Department continues to support the work of the national health service in providing information to all couples at risk of genetic conditions to enable them to make informed choices.
	As part of the complementary work to the Local Government and Public Involvement in Health Act 2007, the Department has published the Implementation Plan for Reducing Health Inequalities in Infant Mortality: A Good Practice Guide. The document provides details on how genetic screening and counselling services play an important part in this area. Specifically, it highlights the work of two projects funded by the Department on how to provide appropriate genetic services and support to communities that practise cousin marriage.

Hospitals

Gordon Birtwistle: To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether his Department issues guidance on the maximum distance a person should travel to reach the nearest hospital accident and emergency department.

Simon Burns: The Department has not issued guidance on the maximum distance a person should travel to reach the nearest hospital accident and emergency department.
	It is a matter for the local national health service to ensure that there is appropriate provision of urgent and emergency services that are responsive to people's needs.

Hospitals

Gordon Birtwistle: To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether his Department issues guidance on the maximum size of population a general hospital outside London should serve.

Simon Burns: The Department does not issue guidance on the maximum size of population that a general hospital outside London should serve. National health service organisations will decide locally what constitutes the best configuration for the delivery of healthcare services and facilities for their patients.

Hospitals: Children

David Blunkett: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what discussions he has had with specialist children's hospitals on  (a) the additional costs incurred in treating children and  (b) average expenditure per treatment of (i) a child and (ii) an adult; and if he will make a statement.

Simon Burns: There is an ongoing dialogue between these hospitals and the Department.
	As part of work in developing tariffs, my officials work with representatives from the specialist children's hospitals on understanding the costs related to providing children's services.
	Officials are currently working closely with the specialist children's hospitals on checking the draft 2011-12 tariff. As part of this work, officials are discussing with the hospitals the potential impact of proposed changes to top-up payments for specialist services. These proposals, which include a reduction in the top-up payable for specialised services for children from 78% to 25% of the standard tariff, arise from a review of top-up arrangements that was initiated under the previous Administration.

Hospitals: Children

Gordon Birtwistle: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what guidelines his Department issues to NHS trusts on the provision of and access to paediatric and children accident and emergency services in deprived areas.

Simon Burns: No such guidance has been issued. However, in July 2010, the Secretary of State for Health laid down four tests for all proposals to reconfigure national health service services. Such proposals must show: a clear clinical evidence base underpinning any proposals, which focuses on improved outcomes for patients; clear support for proposals from general practitioners as the commissioners of local services; strengthened arrangements for public engagement; and support for patient choice.

Hospitals: Infectious Diseases

Dan Byles: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many isolation beds are available in NHS wards for patients with highly infectious diseases.

Simon Burns: This information is not held centrally.

Mental Health

Jo Swinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment he has made of the recommendations relevant to his Department's policy responsibilities contained in the Foresight report on Mental Capital and Wellbeing by the Government Office for Science; if he will ensure that his Department takes steps to promote wellbeing; if he will ensure that his Department's policy development process takes account of psychological research into subjective wellbeing; and if he will make a statement.

Paul Burstow: The Government Office for Science's Foresight report on Mental Capital and Wellbeing has informed the cross-government Mental Health Strategy that we intend to publish this winter. The strategy will have the twin aims of promoting and sustaining good mental health and well-being in the wider population; and improving the quality of existing services for people across the full range of mental health problems.

Mental Health: Young People

David Mowat: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps his Department is taking to increase levels of awareness of mental health issues in young people.

Paul Burstow: We announced our intention to produce a new mental health strategy in September. The strategy will take a cross-Government and life-course approach focusing on outcomes that are meaningful to patients and their families. We intend a wholesale shift in emphasis that puts mental health outcomes alongside physical health indicators in assessments of the quality of the national health service.
	The Department of Health works closely with the Department for Education to increase awareness of mental health issues among young people.

NHS 111

Bridget Phillipson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what estimate he has made of the annual savings to accrue from replacing NHS Direct with NHS 111.

Simon Burns: NHS Direct is not being directly replaced by NHS 111. The Department conducted a partial impact assessment (pre-pilot) to assess the costs and benefits of introducing the NHS 111 service, which was published in December 2009.
	This assessment will be updated to reflect evidence from the pilot sites and our final evidence-based conclusions will be published as part of the external evaluation of the NHS 111 pilots.
	A copy of the partial impact assessment has been placed in the Library.

NHS 111

Bridget Phillipson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health when his Department plans to determine staffing levels for NHS 111; and if he will make a statement.

Simon Burns: The most appropriate staff mix for NHS 111 call handling must be evidence-based and reflect the needs of commissioners, which is why we are piloting the service. We will collect and publish evaluation data from the pilots, which will be made available to commissioners. There will not be a centrally mandated approach to staffing NHS 111, and commissioners will be free to determine what is best for their patients.

NHS Direct

Frank Dobson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans he has for the future of NHS Direct.

Simon Burns: The Department is piloting the new NHS 111 service in County Durham and Darlington, Nottingham City, Lincolnshire and Luton over the course of this year and NHS Direct is contributing to the delivery of these pilots. When NHS 111 is rolled out nationally, it will replace the NHS Direct 0845 4647 telephone number. Until then, NHS Direct will continue to provide its current service. While the telephone number will no longer exist in the long-term, NHS Direct is expected to play an ongoing role, alongside other providers, in delivering the NHS 111 service, in line with an any willing provider approach.

NHS: Finance

Karl Turner: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what estimates he has made of the likely changes in the NHS budget consequent on  (a) an increasingly elderly population and  (b) rising drug prices in the next 10 years.

Simon Burns: National health service funding for 2011-12 to 2014-15 is set out in the recent spending review settlement; funding is protected in real terms over the next four years.
	Further, the Department is working with the NHS to prepare to deliver a quantum shift in NHS efficiency, delivering £15 billion to £20 billion over the next four years.
	All of these savings will be reinvested in the NHS. Together with the guarantee to protect funding against inflation the increased efficiency will allow the NHS to continue to deliver high quality health care and keep pace with demographic pressures, medical advances and rising public expectations.
	On the particular pressures identified in the question:
	An increasingly elderly population: The Department anticipate a pressure of about 1% per year over the spending review period. This matches analysis of external commentators such as The King's Fund.
	Branded drug prices are controlled by the Pharmaceutical Price Regulation Scheme (PPRS)-a voluntary agreement between the Department and the Association of British Pharmaceutical Industries-which aims to achieve a balance between reasonable prices for the NHS and a fair return for the industry to enable it to research, develop and market new and improved medicines.
	The 2009 agreement included a pricing package comprising price cuts of 3.9% in 2009, and a further 1.9% in 2010. The agreement also permits price increases of 0.1%, 0.2% and 0.2% in 2011, 2012 and 2013 respectively.
	In 2014 we will introduce a system of value based pricing for medicines, where the price of a drug will be determined by its assessed value. The NHS faces great challenges and reforming the way we pay for new medicines is a key part of ensuring that patients get better access to drugs and the NHS and the taxpayer get better value for money.

Organs: Donors

Paul Uppal: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  what steps he plans to take to arrange for local co-ordination of organ donation under the proposals in the NHS White Paper;
	(2)  what progress has been made on implementation of the recommendations of the Organ Donation Taskforce's report on organs for transplants; how many likely organ donations after death there were in 2008; what estimate he has made of the number in 2013; and if he will make a statement.

Anne Milton: The implementation programme has been successful, with the vast majority of recommendations needing a central steer either being completed or nearing completion. Key progress includes:
	Establishing a new Organ Donor Organisation within NHS Blood and Transplant.
	Establishing a new United Kingdom-wide independent Donation Ethics Committee within the Academy of Medical Royal Colleges.
	Ensuring that Acute Trusts have: a Clinical Lead for Organ Donation; A Donation Committee; a Specialist Nurse for Organ Donation.
	Disseminating bench-marked data to trusts every six months, to enable them to monitor their potential and actual donation rates.
	Removing financial disincentives, through reimbursing trusts for the management of potential donors.
	Establishing organ retrieval teams to provide high quality, 24/7, organ retrieval service across the UK.
	Publishing national guidance.
	Running a national media campaign to promote organ donation.
	Work to implement the recommendations in the Organ Donation Taskforce report has been ongoing since the report was first published in January 2008 and good progress has been made.
	As part of the implementation programme, NHS Blood and Transplant (NHSBT) have already been working to raise the profile of and improve the systems for organ donation within every hospital trust. In order to do this they have established a network of 220 Specialist Nurses for Organ Donation who are based at hospitals throughout the country. The role of these specialist nurses is to work with families, providing a constant link to support and guiding them throughout the donation process.
	NHSBT have also worked with hospitals to ensure the appointment of 187 Clinical Leads for Organ Donation. Usually intensive care or emergency medicine consultants, the Clinical Leads are working with their colleagues to foster a culture where consideration of the potential for organ donation becomes a usual rather than unusual event.
	In addition to this 160 Donation Committees have been set up within hospitals with the tools they need and an innovative Professional Development Programme to support organ donation.
	There were 884 organ donations after death in 2008, when the implementation programme began. The implementation programme has led to the number of deceased organ donors and organ transplants reaching a record UK high last year, with the lives of more than 3,700 people being saved through the gift of life. This represents a 19% increase in deceased organ donation since the implementation programme began. This increase is significantly higher than the Programme Delivery Board anticipated at such an early stage of the implementation programme.
	We are taking steps to ensure that the momentum gained over the last two years is sustained, to enable us to realise the taskforce's aspiration of a 50% increase in organ donation by 2013. This includes continuing to ensure that work is aligned with and utilises new levers, such as those included in the NHS White Paper.

Organs: Donors

Paul Uppal: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what proportion of people on  (a) the transplant waiting list and  (b) the NHS Organ Donor Register are from black and minority ethnic groups; what recent estimate he has made of the rate of deceased organ donation by people from black and minority ethnic groups; what steps he plans to take to increase that rate; and if he will make a statement.

Anne Milton: To raise the profile of organ donation and the benefits of transplantation, NHS Blood and Transplant work in partnerships with the national health service, commercial and third sector organisations to support local events around the country or national initiatives such as joining the Organ Donor Register when registering with a doctor, or applying for a driving license. As part of a recent media campaign there were activities targeted specifically at black and minority ethnic (BME) audiences including street plays, faith road shows and coverage in BME specific media outlets.
	Information on the proportion of people from black and minority ethnic groups on the transplant waiting list; registered on the organ donor register and the ethnicity of deceased solid organ donors is given in the following tables.
	
		
			  Ethnicity of people on  the current active transplant list, as at 1 November 2010 
			  Ethnic origin  Number  Percentage 
			 White 5,863 74.4 
			 Asian 1,194 15.1 
			 Black 613 7.8 
			 Chinese 95 1.2 
			 Mixed 20 0.3 
			 Other 98 1.2 
			 Not reported 1 <0.1 
			 Unknown 2 <0.1 
			 Total 7,886 100.0 
		
	
	
		
			  Ethnicity of deceased solid organ donors in the UK, 1 April 2007-31 March 2010 
			2007-08  2008-09  2009-10 
			Number  Percentage  Number  Percentage  Number  Percentage 
			 Ethnicity White 777 96.0 857 95.2 914 95.3 
			  Asian 13 1.6 17 1.9 15 1.6 
			  Black 11 1.4 13 1.4 13 1.4 
			  Chinese 1 0.1 2 0.2 2 0.2 
			  Other 7 0.9 11 1.2 15 1.6 
			 Total  809  900  959  
		
	
	
		
			  Ethnicity of registrants where given on the Organ Donor Register, as at 1 November 2010 
			  Ethnic origin  Number  on the ODR  Percentage on the ODR  Percentage where ethnicity reported on the ODR 
			 White 2,958,770 16.9 96.7 
			 Asian 38,891 0.2 1.3 
			 Black 12,168 0.1 0.4 
			 Chinese 4,563 0.0 0.1 
			 Mixed 34,321 0.2 1.1 
			 Other 11,331 0.1 0.4 
			 Total reported 3,060,044 17.5 - 
			 Not reported 14,475,152 82.5 - 
			 Total 17,535,196

Organs: Donors

Paul Uppal: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what his policy is on increasing  (a) the proportion of relatives who consent to organ donation by a deceased patient and  (b) the number of donation after brain death donors.

Anne Milton: There is a range of ongoing activities to promote organ donation and increase donation rates. In autumn 2009, NHS Blood and Transplant launched a UK-wide public awareness campaign to encourage more people not just to join the Organ Donor Register (ODR), but also to discuss their wishes in relation to organ donation with family members.
	NHS Blood and Transplant also work in partnership with the national health service, commercial and third sector organisations to support local promotional and awareness-raising activity around the country or national initiatives such as joining the ODR when registering with a doctor, or applying for a driving licence.
	Steady improvement is being made. During 2009-10, organ donor rates increased to nearly 20% over the baseline year of 2007-08. We aim to see organ donor rates continue to rise this year, allowing many more people to benefit from a life saving or life enhancing transplant.

Our Life

Mark Menzies: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  how much his Department has spent on marketing and communications for the organisation Our Life in the financial year 2010-11 to date;
	(2)  whether his Department has given funding to the organisation Our Life in the last three financial years; and whether it plans to provide funding for the organisation in the next financial year.

Anne Milton: Our Life is an independent social enterprise established by NHS North West to focus on engaging the public and bring about a significant shift in well-being, attitudes and health behaviours. It is not directly funded by the Department. As a charitable community benefit society, Our Life is funded through a combination of membership fees, grants, donations, sponsorship and consultancy services. Further information on this can be obtained from Our Life direct.

Primary Care Trusts: Debts

Andrea Leadsom: To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether he has  (a) taken or  (b) plans to take steps to prevent primary care trusts from taking on debts prior to their abolition.

Simon Burns: The Department is working with the strategic health authorities to address circumstances where primary care trusts (PCTs) owe money, with the expectation that any debt will be fully resolved by the end of 2012-13. The issue of PCT debt will be covered in further detail in the NHS Operating Framework for 2011-12.

Respiratory Diseases: Bexley

David Evennett: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what estimate he has made of the number of people in the London borough of Bexley newly diagnosed with a respiratory disease in each of the last five years.

Simon Burns: This information is not collected centrally.

Sexually Transmitted Diseases: Kent

Tracey Crouch: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many cases of each type of sexually transmitted infection were reported by  (a) South East Coast Strategic Health Authority,  (b) West Kent Primary Care Trust and  (c) Medway Primary Care Trust, in each year since 2007.

Anne Milton: Before 2009 data are only available at the strategic health authority (SHA) of the clinic attended. The number of sexually transmitted infections (STIs) in South East Coast SHA, West Kent Primary Care Trust (PCT) and Medway PCT diagnosed in genitourinary medicine clinics (GUM) by location of the GUM clinic attended between 2007 and 2009 are presented in Table 1.
	Since 2009, data have been collected by patient's area of residence. The number of STIs in 2009, in South East Coast SHA, West Kent PCT and Medway PCT diagnosed in GUM clinics by patient's area of residence are presented in Table 2.
	The number of Chlamydia diagnoses made in community-based settings (non-GUM sites) in 15 to 24-year-olds resident in South East Coast SHA, West Kent PCT and Medway PCT are presented in Table 3.
	
		
			  Table 1: Number of STI diagnoses seen at genitourinary medicine (GUM) clinics by SHA and PCT of GUM clinic attended: 2007-09 
			  By GUM clinic 
			South East Coast SHA  2009 
			  Code group  Diagnoses  2007  2008  2009  West Kent PCT  Medway PCT 
			 A1, A2 Primary and secondary infectious syphilis 110 111 101 13 * 
			 A3 Early latent syphilis (first two years) 74 57 45 * 0 
			 A4, A5, A6 Other acquired syphilis 84 102 77 8 6 
			 A7 Congenital syphilis, aged under two 0 * 0 0 0 
			 A8 Congenital syphilis, aged two or over 0 * 0 0 0 
			 A9 Epidemiological treatment of suspected syphilis 48 50 45 0 * 
			 B1, B2 Uncomplicated gonorrhoea 755 563 626 75 34 
			 B3 Gonococcal ophthalmia neonatorum * * 0 0 0 
			 B4 Epidemiological treatment of suspected gonorrhoea 402 418 463 64 16 
			 B5 Complicated gonococcal infection-including pelvic inflammatory disease (PID) and epididymitis 10 11 10 * 0 
			 C1, C2, C3 Chancroid/Lymphogranuloma venerum/Donovanosis 13 23 15 * * 
			 C10A Anogenital herpes simplex-first episode 1,700 1,978 2,136 230 141 
			 C10B Anogenital herpes simplex-recurrence 1,202 1,509 1,749 225 110 
			 C11A Anogenital warts-first episode 5,764 6,095 6,386 894 497 
			 C11B Anogenital warts-recurrence 3,541 3,557 1 3,660 508 365 
			 C11C Anogenital warts-re-registered cases 1,300 1,574 1,506 253 112 
			 C12 Molluscum contagiosum 1,097 1,201 1,154 136 161 
			 C4A, C4C Uncomplicated genital chlamydial infection 6,393 6,934 6,371 686 566 
			 C4B Complicated genital chlamydial infection-including PID and epididymitis 145 158 187 11 * 
			 C4D Chlamydial ophthalmia neonatorum 0 * * 0 * 
			 C4E Epidemiological treatment of suspected genital chlamydial infection 3,549 3,958 3,753 558 351 
			 C4H Uncomplicated non-gonococcal/non-specific urethritis in males, or treatment of mucopurulent cervicitis in females 5,448 5,502 5,382 851 473 
			 C4I Epidemiological treatment of non-specific genital infection (NSGI) 1,852 1,699 1,824 191 252 
			 C5 Complicated infection (non-chlamydial/non-gonococcal)-including PID and epididymitis 659 801 1,061 44 12 
			 C6A Trichomoniasis 142 116 148 37 19 
			 C8, C9 Scabies/pediculosis pubis 107 100 141 5 11 
			 E1A New HIV diagnosis-asymptomatic 288 319 256 24 32 
			 E1B, E2B Subsequent HIV presentation (not AIDS) 5,131 5,503 6,974 635 266 
			 E2A New HIV diagnosis: symptomatic (not AIDS) 42 58 29 * 0 
			 E3A1 AIDS: first presentation-new HIV diagnosis 18 28 23 * 0 
			 E3A2 AIDS: first presentation-HIV diagnosed previously * 12 * 0 0 
			 E3B AIDS-subsequent presentation 1,116 1,170 1,436 123 49 
			
			  Total new STI diagnoses 22,765 24,055 24,071 3,016 1,953 
			  Total other STI diagnoses 18,229 19,558 21,492 2,565 1,530 
			  Total STI diagnoses 40,994 43,613 45,563 5,581 3,483 
		
	
	
		
			  Table 2: Number of STI diagnoses seen at genitourinary medicine (GUM) clinics by patient area of residence: 2009 
			2009 
			  Code group  Diagnoses  South East Coast SHA  West Kent PCT  Medway PCT 
			 A1, A2 Primary and secondary infectious syphilis 114 15 * 
			 A3 Early latent syphilis (first two years) 48 * 0 
			 A4, A5, A6 Other acquired syphilis 81 * * 
			 A7 Congenital syphilis, aged under two 0 0 0 
			 A8 Congenital syphilis, aged two or over 0 0 0 
			 A9 Epidemiological treatment of suspected syphilis 59 * * 
			 B1, B2 Uncomplicated gonorrhoea 631 82 27 
			 B3 Gonococcal ophthalmia neonatorum 0 0 0 
			 B4 Epidemiological treatment of suspected gonorrhoea 440 48 14 
			 B5 Complicated gonococcal infection-including PID and epididymitis 12 * 0 
			 C1, C2, C3 Chancroid/LGV/Donovanosis 17 * * 
			 C10A Anogenital herpes simplex-first episode 2,018 226 121 
			 C10B Anogenital herpes simplex-recurrence 1,673 191 102 
			 C11A Anogenital warts-first episode 5,950 811 424 
			 C11B Anogenital warts-recurrence 3,392 454 317 
			 C11C Anogenital warts-re-registered cases 1,463 219 98 
			 C12 Molluscum contagiosum 1,058 132 135 
			 C4A, C4C Uncomplicated genital chlamydial infection 6,000 663 486 
			 C4B Complicated genital chlamydial infection-including PID and epididymitis 204 15 * 
			 C4D Chlamydial ophthalmia neonatorum (1)- 0 * 
			 C4E Epidemiological treatment of suspected genital chlamydial infection 3,543 506 285 
			 C4H Uncomplicated non-gonococcal/non-specific urethritis in males, or treatment of mucopurulent cervicitis in females 4,993 819 379 
			 C4I Epidemiological treatment of NSGI 1,713 208 208 
			 C5 Complicated infection (non-chlamydial/non-gonococcal)-including PID and epididymitis 1,068 52 19 
			 C6A Trichomoniasis 148 39 13 
			 C8, C9 Scabies/pediculosis pubis 131 * 10 
			 E1A New HIV diagnosis-asymptomatic 269 26 28 
			 E1B, E2B Subsequent HIV presentation (not AIDS) 6,651 558 214 
			 E2A New HIV diagnosis: symptomatic (not AIDS) 45 5 * 
			 E3A1 AIDS: first presentation-new HIV diagnosis 31 * * 
			 E3A2 AIDS: first presentation-HIV diagnosed previously 7 0 0 
			 E3B AIDS-subsequent presentation 1,428 106 48 
			  
			  Total new STI diagnoses 22,735 2,893 1,650 
			  Total other STI diagnoses 20,452 2,304 1,293 
			  Total STI diagnoses 43,187 5,197 2,943 
			 (1) Indicates brace.  Notes: 1. Cell size of 1 to 4 have been masked (masked with an asterisk,*) to protect deductive disclosure in accordance with ONS guidelines for SHA/PCT level data. Totals include the masked counts. 2. Counts for categories C4B and C4D have been combined to prevent disclosure of small numbers, in accordance with ONS guidelines. 3. The data available from the KC60 (2008 and earlier) and GUMCAD (2009 onwards) returns are for diagnoses made in genitourinary medicine (GUM) clinics only. Diagnoses made in other clinical settings, such as General Practice, are not recorded in the GUMCAD dataset. 4. The data available from the KC60 and GUMCAD returns are the number of diagnoses made, not the number of patients diagnosed. 5. The difference between the total STI diagnoses in 2009 in Table 1 and 2 is due to patients attending GUM clinics in areas other than where they are resident. 6. The information provided is based on reported SHA data that has been adjusted for missing clinic data.  Date of Data: 25 August 2010  Source: Health Protection Agency, KC60 and Genitourinary Medicine Clinic Activity Dataset (GUMCAD) returns. 
		
	
	
		
			  Table 3: Number of  Chlamydia  diagnoses in 15 to 24-year-olds resident within the South East Coast SHA, West Kent PCT and Medway PCT made in community-based settings 2007-09 
			   2007  2008  2009 
			 South East Coast SHA 1,509 3,385 4,922 
			 West Kent PCT 196 399 643 
			 Medway PCT 144 361 546 
			  Notes: 1. The NCSP has been phased in since 1 April 2003 with all 152 PCTs reporting data to the programme since March 2008. Therefore numbers of diagnoses have risen substantially as the proportion of sexually active under 25-year-olds who have been tested has increased. 2. Collection of non-NCSP, non-GUM data commenced from April 2008. 3. The data from the NCSP Core Dataset and the Non NCSP Non GUM are for positive Chlamydia diagnoses made outside of GUM clinics. 4. The data in Table 3 are the number of diagnoses made and not the number of patients diagnosed.  Date of Data: NCSP Core Dataset: 25 October 2010; Non NCSP Non GUM Data: 5 August 2010.  Source: Health Protection Agency, National Chlamydia Screening Programme (NCSP), NCSP returns and Non NCSP Non GUM data

Smallpox: Vaccination

Dan Byles: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many NHS staff are vaccinated against smallpox for the purposes of first response in the event of a smallpox outbreak or biological attack.

Anne Milton: Vaccination of a cohort of front line health workers to deal with any initial suspected or confirmed case of smallpox if one were to occur was completed in 2005. The cohort comprised 516 vaccinated personnel of whom 147 were doctors, 164 were nurses, 100 were ambulance staff, 32 were scientists and 73 held other related health care occupations. All were carefully screened and monitored and none had adverse complications that required vaccinia immunoglobulin. There is no proposal to increase the numbers of people in the cohort.

Thrombolysis: Health Services

Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will take steps to increase the number of NHS hospitals providing access to thrombolysis treatment 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

Simon Burns: Thrombolysis is only suitable for a small proportion of people who have had an ischaemic stroke. We want to develop the system so that everyone who has a stroke, and can benefit from thrombolysis, is able to receive it safely. Pathways to achieve this will vary between local health economies. For example, some areas have developed a smaller number of hospitals providing a 24 hour, seven day a week service for a larger population, while others are developing telemedicine arrangements to access stroke specialist expertise remotely out of hours.
	The National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence Stroke Quality Standard launched in June 2010 is a set of specific, concise statements that act as markers of high quality, cost-effective patient care covering treatment and prevention. Statement three in this stroke standard says "patients with suspected stroke are admitted directly to a specialist acute stroke unit and assessed for thrombolysis, receiving it if clinically indicated."

BUSINESS, INNOVATION AND SKILLS

Daresbury Laboratory: Finance

Chi Onwurah: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what funding his Department plans to allocate to Daresbury Laboratory in 2011-12 to 2013-14; and if he will make a statement.

David Willetts: In the recent spending review my right hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer announced that the Government will spend £4.6 billion on science and research programmes in each of the next four years within a ring-fenced budget. Capital and administration spending on science and research have not yet been decided.
	In the coming months, Ministers will make decisions on the balance of funding between the individual research councils, HEFCE's research and knowledge transfer activities, the national academies and other programmes. Detailed decisions on specific projects, like the Daresbury Laboratory will be taken by research councils, in line with the Haldane Principle.

Debts: Advisory Services

Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills if he will provide funding to debt advisory organisations which have the objective of preventing home repossessions.

Edward Davey: Currently this Department is contributing £1 million per annum of grant funding to the National Debtline freephone service. This Department also administers the Financial Inclusion Fund's Face-to-Face Debt Advice Project (£27 million per annum), which assists clients with their money problems. Some of the people that use both of these services will also receive advice on their mortgage problems.

Dentistry: Higher Education

Stephen Williams: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills with reference to page 25 of the Browne Review of Higher Education and Student Finance, if he will classify dentistry as a clinical and priority course.

David Willetts: Dentistry is currently classified as a clinical course. As a reflection of the importance of, and relative expense associated with delivering dentistry and other priority courses, direct public grant will continue to meet a proportion of the costs.

EU Grants and Loans

Gordon Marsden: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills whether a cut-off date has been set for drawing down European Regional Development Fund funding to the UK in the event that matched funding is not made available.

Mark Prisk: holding answer 4 November 2010
	No cut- off date has been set for drawing down European Regional Development Fund funding to the UK. The Government expect that the UK's 2007-13 European Regional Development Fund programmes will continue to operate until their end date of 2015.

Fireworks: Sales

Fabian Hamilton: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills 
	(1)  what discussions he has had with the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government on reducing the misuse of fireworks;
	(2)  what steps his Department takes to enforce regulations on the sale of fireworks to minors;
	(3)  what plans he has for the future regulation of the sale of fireworks.

Edward Davey: While my officials are in contact with the Department for Communities and Local Government, they talk more regularly with officials at Local Government Regulation, the body which advises trading standards departments, who are in turn responsible for enforcement of age-related sales. There are no plans to revise the legislation on the sale and use of fireworks.

Green Investment Bank

Michael Weir: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what  (a) governance mechanisms,  (b) business model and  (c) sources of funding he plans to put in place for the proposed Green Investment Bank.

Mark Prisk: Governance mechanisms and business model will depend on the final design of the Green Investment Bank (GIB). The GIB will make its investment decisions independent from political control and employ private sector skills and expertise.
	Decisions on design will be subject to the Government's tests of effectiveness, affordability and transparency.
	The GIB will be initially capitalised with £1 billion of funding allocated from departmental budgets together with additional significant proceeds from the sale of Government-owned assets.

Green Investment Bank

Zac Goldsmith: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills whether the Green Investment Bank will issue its own bonds.

Mark Prisk: The Green Investment Bank will be funded through £1 billion of departmental expenditure limit funding and additional significant proceeds from asset sales. Decisions on additional funding sources is subject to further design and market testing work. Decisions will be subject to the Government's tests of effectiveness, affordability and transparency.

Higher Education: Admissions

Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what assessment his Department has made of the effects of his Department's proposed reductions to the number of higher education places on the likely social mobility of students unable to gain a university place in  (a) 2010-11 and  (b) 2011-12.

David Willetts: There has not been a reduction in the number of higher education places. In 2009-10 the Government provided funding for 1,170,000 full time equivalent places. The coalition Government are funding 1,190,000 full time equivalent places in 2010-11, including the 10,000 places announced as part of the University Modernisation Fund. The Higher Education Funding Council for England (HEFCE) will receive its annual grant letter for 2011-12 in due course. It will set out the number of funded places for that year. Going to university has always been a competitive process and not all those who apply will be accepted. The Government are working hard to ensure there are other equally valuable routes into a successful career and as part of the spending review this Government will be funding an additional 75,000 apprenticeships a year by 2014/15.

Higher Education: ICT

David Morris: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what recent discussions he has had with representatives of universities on online education for students; and if he will make a statement.

David Willetts: I have regular discussions with university representatives about a wide range of issues, including online education.
	I have also met Dame Lynne Brindley twice recently in her role as the chair of the independent Online Learning Task Force. The Task Force was established by HEFCE to make recommendations regarding the development of excellence in online learning, to support higher education (HE) in exploiting fully its pedagogical and commercial opportunities, with the aim of our HE sector sustaining its excellence and growing its market share. Although it was set up under the last Government, the Task Force has our full support for its objectives.
	The appropriate use of digital technology in education has a very important role to play in both supporting and enhancing higher education. It can help universities to improve the quality of their provision, meet the expectations of today's digitally-aware students and fully engage disadvantaged students in HE-especially those with disabilities and caring responsibilities-as well as enabling them to deliver HE in more flexible ways.
	I am therefore looking forward to seeing the Task Force's recommendations when they report in the near future and I anticipate saying more about the role of online education when we publish our Higher Education White Paper later this winter.

Higher Education: Student Loans

Helen Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what estimate he has made of the age at which student loans of  (a) £7,000,  (b) £10,000 and  (c) £12,000 will be paid off by graduates in each income decile following implementation of the proposals in the Browne Review of higher education funding.

David Willetts: The Government have now set out their proposals for higher education and student finance in Parliament following the Browne Review of Higher Education and Student Finance. The Government have broadly accepted Lord Browne's proposals on repayment while adapting the system to make it more progressive.
	We have estimated the number of years students are likely to be in repayment if the proposals in the Browne Review were to be implemented.
	Graduates move into repayment from the April after they leave university. The following table gives the number of years that we estimate graduates will be in repayment, though in each year there will be many graduates who will be eligible to repay as they have left university while benefiting from the low income protection and not actually making any repayments.
	Graduates who are still in repayment after 30 years have the balance of their loan cancelled and are considered to be in repayment for 30 years. Graduates who fully repay their loan on graduation are considered to be in repayment for 0 years. Graduates who have their loans cancelled for death or disability are considered to be in repayment for the number of years until their loan is cancelled.
	This has been based on a student on a three-year course taking out a loan in each year.
	
		
			  Average number of years in repayment 
			  Lifetime earnings decile  £7,000/year  £10,000/year  £12,000/year 
			 10 10 13 15 
			 9 15 20 23 
			 8 16 21 24 
			 7 17 23 26 
			 6 21 25 27 
			 5 23 26 28 
			 4 26 28 29 
			 3 27 29 29 
			 2 26 27 27 
			 1 22 22 22 
		
	
	The figures are affected by the inclusion of graduates who have their loans written off for death or disability, particularly in the lowest decile as they are only in repayment until their loan is written off. As a result they are in repayment for a shorter period and they bring the average down.

Higher Education: Watford

Richard Harrington: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what estimate he has made of the proportion of young people resident in Watford who continued to higher education in each year since 2000.

David Willetts: Figures relating to the proportion of young people resident in Watford who continued to higher education (HE) are not available. As an alternative, the latest available information on the proportion of 15-years-old from maintained schools in Hertfordshire local authority who progressed to HE by age 19 is shown in the table. Figures for earlier years are not available.
	
		
			  Estimates of the proportion of 15-year-olds in 2001/02, 2002/03 and 2003/04 from maintained schools in Hertfordshire local authority who progressed to HE( 1)  by age 19 in 2005/06, 2006/07 and 2007/08 
			  Academic year  Percentage who progressed to HE by age 19 
			 2005/06 38 
			 2006/07 39 
			 2007/08 39 
			 (1) Includes those who progress to higher education courses at English further education colleges.  Source: Matched data from the National Pupil Database, the Higher Education Statistics Agency Student Record and the Individualised Learner Record.

Higher Education: Watford

Richard Harrington: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills how many people in Watford constituency applied to higher education institutions in the last 12 months; and what proportion of such people had their applications accepted.

David Willetts: The latest figures provided by UCAS show that, as at 13 October, 1,209 people resident in Watford constituency had applied to enter full-time undergraduate courses via UCAS during the 2010 application cycle, and 871 (or 72%) were accepted for entry. The 2010 application cycle runs from September 2009 to October 2010, and covers applicants applying to enter courses starting in autumn 2010, or, on the basis of deferred entry, 2011.

Higher Education: West Midlands

Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills how many young people normally resident in  (a) Coventry and  (b) the West Midlands studied undergraduate courses at university in each year since 1997; and how much was paid to such students in non-refundable grants and bursaries.

David Willetts: The latest available information from the Higher Education Statistics Agency (HESA) on undergraduate enrolments from Coventry and the west midlands is shown in Table 1. Figures for the 2009/10 academic year will be available in January 2011. Figures for undergraduate enrolments to higher education (HE) level courses at further education (FE) colleges are not available by parliamentary constituency, and are therefore excluded.
	
		
			  Table 1: Undergraduate enrolments( 1 ) from Coventry local authority( 2)  and West Midlands Government office region, UK higher education institutions( 3) , academic years 1997/98 to 2008/09 
			  Number 
			  Academic year  Coventry  West Midlands 
			 1997/98 2,325 44,965 
			 1998/99 2,505 47,510 
			 1999/2000 2,650 48,965 
			 2000/01 2,720 49,870 
			 2001/02 2,790 50,400 
			 2002/03 2,820 51,990 
			 2003/04 2,855 53,860 
			 2004/05 3,045 54,485 
			 2005/06 3,145 56,420 
			 2006/07 3,115 56,915 
			 2007/08 3,075 57,835 
			 2008/09 3,245 60,010 
			 (1) Enrolments cover all years of study, not just first-year students.  (2) Excludes those whose local authority could not be established due to missing or invalid postcode information.  (3) Excludes the Open university due to inconsistencies in their coding across the time series.   Note: Figures are based on a 1 December snapshot and have been rounded to the nearest five.   Source:  Higher Education Statistics Agency (HESA). 
		
	
	Tables 2 and 3 show information from the Student Loans Company (SLC) on applicants awarded grants for maintenance and the amounts awarded. These figures are on a different basis from the HESA figures in Table 1 which include part-time enrolments and should not be combined in calculations. SLC figures include postgraduate and part-time initial teacher training applicants who were awarded HE grants and maintenance grants. Other part-time support is not covered. Applicants awarded grants for HE courses in FE colleges are included. The HE grant was introduced in 2004/05; figures are shown from that year onwards. The maintenance grant was introduced for new students from 2006/07 and replaced the HE grant. The HE grant continued to be available to those who had entered higher education in 2004/05 and 2005/06.
	
		
			  Table 2: Grants for maintenance( 1)  from Coventry local authority, academic years 2004/05 to 2008/09 
			  Academic year  Grant  Applicants awarded (number)  Amount  awarded (£) 
			 2004/05 HE grant 730 620,000 
			 2005/06 HE grant 1,360 1,190,000 
			 2006/07 HE grant 1,090 950,000 
			  Maintenance grant(2) 1,140 2,280,000 
			 2007/08 HE grant 670 610,000 
			  Maintenance grant(2) 2,130 4,460,000 
			 2008/09 HE grant 210 190,000 
			  Maintenance grant(2) 3,330 7,200,000 
			 (1) Applicant figures are rounded to nearest 10, amounts awarded to nearest £10,000. Includes awards to students who subsequently withdrew from their course or suspended study.  (2) Maintenance grant figures include special support grant.   Source:  Student Loans Company. 
		
	
	
		
			  Table 3: Grants for maintenance( 1)  from West Midlands Government office region, academic years 2004/05 to 2008/09 
			  Academic year  Grant  Applicants awarded (number)  Amount  awarded (£) 
			 2004/05 HE grant 11,220 9,560,000 
			 2005/06 HE grant 21,070 18,130,000 
			 2006/07 HE grant 16,980 14,920,000 
			  Maintenance grant(2) 18,810 36,680,000 
			 2007/08 HE grant 10,420 9,210,000 
			  Maintenance grant(2) 34,210 69,300,000 
			 2008/09 HE Grant 3,330 2,930,000 
			  Maintenance Grant(2) 51,620 108,860,000 
			 (1) Applicant figures are rounded to nearest 10, amounts awarded to nearest £10,000. Includes awards to students who subsequently withdrew from their course or suspended study.  (2 )Maintenance Grant figures include special support grant.   Source:  Student Loans Company. 
		
	
	The information requested on bursaries is not available centrally as they are the responsibility of HE institutions.

Innovation: Finance

Chi Onwurah: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills whether innovation centres will be funded directly by his Department.

David Willetts: Funding for the technology and innovation centres will be allocated by the BIS-funded Technology Strategy Board to ensure that the areas of activity are prioritised and aligned to the national technology strategy.
	The model for the centres will see this core public sector funding leverage significant contract funding from the private sector, alongside grant funding from the EU and national research programmes, which in turn leverage funding from the private sector.

Innovation: Finance

Chi Onwurah: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what factors he took into account in determining the level of funding by his Department for the new innovation centres.

David Willetts: The Department will provide over £200 million of funding for technology and innovation centres over the next four years. This level of funding was based on a number of factors including:
	(i) Discussions with the Technology Strategy Board on its future priorities and the need for, and role of, centres to help deliver its strategic objectives within its priority areas of activity.
	(ii) An assessment of support provided to existing centres, and
	(iii) Discussions with stakeholders including those undertaken by officials as part of the Hauser review, which suggested that an individual centre would require between £5 million and £10 million per annum to be viable.

Innovation: Finance

Chi Onwurah: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills whether the £200 million allocation announced by the Prime Minister for innovation centres will be drawn from the £4.6 billion fund announced by the Chancellor of the Exchequer as protected science spend.

David Willetts: No. The allocation of funding technology and innovation centres will be part of the Technology Strategy Board's settlement, which is part of my Department's budget supporting business innovation. This is complementary but distinct from the activity supported by the protected science budget.

Innovation: Finance

Chi Onwurah: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills whether he proposes that innovation centres attract external funding additional to the sum committed by his Department.

David Willetts: The centres will be based on the model proposed by Hermann Hauser and James Dyson, which sees core public sector funding leverage significant contract funding from the private sector, alongside grant funding from EU and national research programmes, which in turn leverage funding from the private sector.

Mandarin Chinese: Higher Education

Dan Byles: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills how many UK-based students are studying on degree courses in Mandarin Chinese in universities in England in 2010-11; and how many he expects to take such courses in each of the next 10 years.

David Willetts: The latest available information from the Higher Education Statistics Agency (HESA) relates to the 2008/09 academic year. Figures for 2009/10 will be available in January 2011, and for 2010/11 in January 2012. Figures for Mandarin Chinese are not available, Chinese Studies/Chinese Language Studies has been provided as an alternative.
	In the 2008/09 academic year, there were 590 UK domiciled first degree enrolments studying either Chinese Studies or Chinese Language Studies at English Higher Education Institutions.
	We do not forecast the number of students we expect to be studying individual degree subjects.

Overseas Students: Palestinians

Mark Menzies: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what routes are available for students resident in the West Bank and Gaza to study at UK universities.

David Willetts: UK universities recruit students from all around the world including from the Palestinian Territories. In 2008/09, the latest year for which data are available, the Higher Education Statistics Agency recorded 75 students from the West Bank (including East Jerusalem) and Gaza studying at UK higher education institutions.
	Policy on admissions rests with individual universities. Places for students outside the European Union are not publicly funded and nor are the numbers controlled centrally. This means that universities are free to set their own limits although they must satisfy themselves that applicants meet the necessary entry requirements for their courses.
	The Department for Business, Innovation and Skills is supporting the Higher Education Scholarships for Palestine Programme (HESPAL) which will see 10 academics a year from Palestinian universities complete a year's postgraduate study at a UK partner university. The programme is managed by the British Council and funded jointly by private sponsors, participating universities and the Government.

Overseas Trade: Iran

Rehman Chishti: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what recent representations he has received on the signing of new contracts between UK-based companies and Iranian companies.

Mark Prisk: My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State has not received any representations on the signing of new contracts between UK-based and Iranian companies.

Redundancy

Angela Eagle: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills how much funding to meet staff redundancy costs was identified in his Department's settlement letter in respect of the comprehensive spending review.

Edward Davey: The administration budget of the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS) will reduce by an overall 40% in real terms over the spending review including savings that will come with the abolition of RDAs.
	All pressures on Departments' budgets were taken into account as part of the spending review and settlements were allocated accordingly. The full cost of redundancies will be met from within this Department's spending review resource departmental expenditure limit-DEL-settlement.

Redundancy

Angela Eagle: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what estimate he has made of the number of redundancies arising from the spending reductions proposed in the comprehensive spending review in respect of  (a) his Department,  (b) its non-departmental public bodies and  (c) other public bodies which are dependent on his Department for funding.

Edward Davey: The administration budget of the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS) will reduce by an overall 40% in real terms over the spending review including savings that will come with the abolition of regional development agencies.
	The expected savings for BIS and its partner organisations (excluding RDAs) is equivalent to a 22% reduction (net of redundancies) over four years.
	Determining optimal work force reforms in order to live within this Department's spending review resource DEL settlement will be an ongoing process. Detailed decisions regarding the number of redundancies that may be required have yet to be finalised.

Redundancy

Angela Eagle: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what estimate he has made of the cost to his Department of staff redundancy in each of the next four years.

Edward Davey: The administration budget of the Department for Business Innovation and Skills (BIS) will reduce by an overall 40% in real terms over the spending review including savings that will come with the abolition of RDAs.
	The expected savings for BIS and its partner organisations (excluding RDAs) is equivalent to a 22% reduction (net of redundancies) over four years.
	Determining optimal work force reforms in order to live within this Department's spending review resource DEL settlement will be an ongoing process. Detailed decisions regarding the number of redundancies that may be required have yet to be finalised.

Regional Development Agencies

Chi Onwurah: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what steps he plans to take to ensure that the disposal of the business and technology-related assets of regional development agencies will create maximum long-term value for the economy and their local areas.

Mark Prisk: Business and technology assets, like all other RDA assets, will be disposed of in line with a set of guiding principles which includes the requirement for decisions on disposal of assets to reflect the need to further the economic development and regeneration of the relevant area. It is also the case that some assets have national strategic importance and this will be taken into account when considering the future destination of such an asset.

Students: Fess and Charges

Clive Betts: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what estimate he has made of the proportion of students likely to pay off tuition fee debts (a) partially and (b) fully within 30 years of graduation following the implementation of his proposals regarding tuition fee levels; and if he will make a statement.

David Willetts: The Government have now set out their proposals for higher education and student finance in Parliament following the Browne review of higher education and student finance. The Government have broadly accepted Lord Browne's proposals on repayment while adapting the system to make it more progressive.
	The estimated proportion of students who would repay a typical £30,000 of loans in full within 30 years is 50%, while 48-49% will partially repay and 1-2% will make no repayments either because their income does not surpass the repayment threshold or because they die or become permanently disabled.

Students: Finance

Alan Beith: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what the cost of the Student Loans Scheme was to  (a) the body handling the administration of such loans,  (b) HM Revenue and Customs and  (c) the Government Departments involved (i) in real terms and (ii) as a proportion of monies repaid by borrowers in each of the last five years.

David Willetts: Student loans form part of a broader package of financial support provided to students in Higher Education. The costs relating to individual elements of this package are not held separately. The available information is presented in the following table:
	
		
			Department's contributions to the costs of the Student Loans Company Limited( 1)  Department's contributions to the costs of HM Revenue and Customs on the student finance  Total cost to the Department and its predecessors for activities related to Higher Education policy and delivery( 2) 
			  Financial year  Total student loans repayments collected (£ million)  In real terms (£ million)  As a proportion of repayments collected (percentage)  In real terms (£ million)  As a proportion of repayments collected (percentage)  In real terms (£ million)  As a proportion of repayments collected (percentage) 
			 2005-06 481.6 49.9 10.4 4.9 1.0 8.2 1.7 
			 2006-07 529.9 52.4 9.9 5.1 1.0 8.4 1.6 
			 2007-08 633.5 48.4 7.6 4.9 0.8 8 1.3 
			 2008-09 899.6 78.6 8.7 4.1 0.5 7.8 0.9 
			 2009-10 1,009.7 79.8 7.9 6.2 0.6 7.5 0.7 
			 (1) Costs provided relate to the assessment and payment of both loans and grants to English students, and the collection of repayment of loans from English students. Specific costs for the policy and delivery relating specifically to student loans are not held and could be provided only at disproportionate cost. (2) Costs provided represent the total cost of providing Higher Education policy and delivery. Specific costs for the policy and delivery relating specifically to student loans are not held and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

WORK AND PENSIONS

Atos Healthcare

Tim Farron: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how much his Department paid for the services provided by Atos Healthcare in 2009-10.

Chris Grayling: The Department has paid Atos Healthcare £107 million in 2009-10 for the services provided under the medical services agreement. This figure not only covers the total number of examinations undertaken across all benefits, but also costs relating to written and verbal medical advice, fixed overheads, administrative costs, investment in new technology and other service improvements.

Children: Maintenance

Laurence Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what recent discussions he has had with the Child Support Agency on the difference between the amount of money collected from parents and the amount they have been assessed as being required to pay; and if he will make a statement.

Maria Miller: Although the CSA have improved their performance over the last few years, there is still much that needs to be done. There have been a number of meetings with the Child Maintenance and Enforcement Commission to ensure that an effective child maintenance system is available to families as part of the Government's commitment to supporting shared parenting and promoting parental responsibility.

Children: Maintenance

Laurence Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how much the Child Support Agency has  (a) assessed as being due and  (b) collected in each of the last five years for which figures are available; and if he will make a statement.  [Official Report, 13 December 2010, Vol. 520, c. 1MC.]

Maria Miller: The Child Maintenance and Enforcement Commission is responsible for the child maintenance system. I have asked the Child Maintenance Commissioner to write to my hon. Friend with the information requested and I have seen the response.
	 Letter from Stephen Geraghty:
	In reply to your recent Parliamentary Question about the Child Maintenance and Enforcement Commission, the Secretary of State promised a substantive reply from the Child Maintenance Commissioner.
	You asked the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how much the Child Support Agency has (a) assessed as being due and (b) collected in each of the last five years for which figures are available; and if he will make a statement.
	The attached table provides an estimate of the value of money assessed as being due and the value of money collected or arranged.
	The value of money assessed as being due has been calculated by taking the average weekly assessment at September each year (excluding nil liability), and multiplying it by the caseload as at September.
	Figures on average weekly assessment and caseload are available within the Child Support Agency Quarterly Summary of Statistics available in the House of Commons library or online at
	http://www.childmaintenance.org/en/publications/statistics.html
	
		
			  Table 1: Assessed amount due and collections 
			  Quarter to :  Cases with maintenance liability  Average weekly assessment (£)  Annual assessed amount  (£ million)  Total Child Maintenance collected or arranged  (£ million) 
			 September 2006 751,700 37 1,146 867 
			 September 2007 825,100 35 1,502 942 
			 September 2008 855,700 35 1,557 1,090 
			 September 2009 834,000 34 1,475 1,131 
			 September 2010 854,100 34 1,510 1,146 
			  Notes: 1. Caseload figures rounded to nearest 100. 2. Arrears and collections figures rounded to nearest £1m. 3. Caseload figures include cases administered on both the CS2 and CSCS computer systems as well as cases administered off system with the exception of the September 2006 figure and represent a snapshot as of September each year. 4. Collections and arrangements are a true representation of the amount collected and arranged over the 12 months to September. 5. Weekly assessment figures include cases administered on the CS2 and CSCS computer systems only and exclude cases administered off system. Work is underway to more accurately calculate the value of assessments.

Children: Maintenance

Laurence Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what steps he is taking to reduce the amount of time taken to make Child Support Agency assessments; and if he will make a statement.

Maria Miller: The Child Maintenance and Enforcement Commission is responsible for the child maintenance system. I have asked the Child Maintenance Commissioner to write to the hon. Member with the information requested and I have seen the response.
	 Letter from Stephen Geraghty:
	In reply to your recent Parliamentary question about the Child Support Agency, the Secretary of State promised a substantive reply from the Child Maintenance Commissioner as the Child Support Agency is now the responsibility of the Child Maintenance and Enforcement Commission.
	You asked the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what steps he is taking to reduce the amount of time taken to make Child Support Agency assessments; and if he will make a statement.
	The Child Support Agency has a client service target to clear 80% of new applications within 12 weeks, and this measure continues to be used to monitor and promote performance improvements. An application is classed as cleared when a non resident parent has been traced and has accepted parentage, income details have been established, a calculation made and a payment schedule established (or if the application is withdrawn or closed before a schedule is established). Performance against this target is routinely published in the Child Support Agency Quarterly Summary of Statistics which is available in the House of Commons library or online at:
	http://www.childmaintenance.org/en/publications/stats0910.html
	The latest figures show that 88% of applications received in June 2010 were cleared within 12 weeks. This is an increase from 86% three months earlier and continues a steady increase since March 2005 when 30% were cleared in 12 weeks. 93% of intake received in April 2010 was cleared within 18 weeks, the same as three months earlier. 96% of intake received in March 2010 was cleared within 26 weeks. This is an increase from 95% three months earlier.
	I hope you find this answer helpful.

Council Tax

Douglas Alexander: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what estimate he has made of the average annual administrative cost to local authorities of the proposal to devolve to them responsibility for  (a) council tax benefit and  (b) implementing the proposed £500 a week benefit cap.

Steve Webb: The Government are working to develop the new arrangements including the detailed administrative implications for local authorities which have yet to be determined.

Council Tax Benefits

Karen Buck: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will make an assessment of the effects on each local authority of the proposed 10% reduction in council tax benefit.

Steve Webb: The Government are working to develop the new arrangements including the detailed administrative implications for local authorities which have yet to be determined.

Council Tax Benefits

Karen Buck: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what the average annual council tax benefit payment was for a  (a) pensioner and  (b) household including at least one person of working age in each local authority area in the latest period for which figures are available.

Steve Webb: The information has been placed in the Library.

Departmental Public Expenditure

Lisa Nandy: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions whether his Department has established processes to monitor any effects of proposed reductions in its expenditure.

Chris Grayling: As part of its efficiency challenge, the Department is ensuring that its administrative spending is targeted for cost reduction. This is being monitored through internal reporting and externally by the National Audit Office.
	Any reductions in expenditure affecting customers are monitored through equality impact assessments and in line with the Department's commitment on transparency will be published when they are available.

Departmental Public Expenditure

Jonathan Edwards: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how much and what proportion of the welfare budget his Department spent on  (a) housing benefit and  (b) the state retirement pension in each of the last five years.

Steve Webb: The information is in the table.
	
		
			   Expenditure, Great Britain, 2010-11 prices, £ million  Proportion of total benefit expenditure (percentage) 
			   Housing benefit  State pension  Housing benefit  State pension 
			 2005-06 15,859 58,552 12.0 44.4 
			 2006-07 16,413 59,348 12.5 45.0 
			 2007-08 16,910 61,909 12.5 45.7 
			 2008-09 17,934 64,584 12.6 45.5 
			 2009-10 20,558 68,838 13.5 45.3 
			  Notes:  1. Housing benefit figures include that element funded from local authorities' own funds.  2. State pension expenditure includes basic state pension, state second pension and graduated retirement benefit.  3. Expenditure information by benefit can be found on the internet at the following address: http://research.dwp.gov.uk/asd/asd4/index.php?page=expenditure   Source:  DWP accounting data and local authority subsidy returns.

Depression: Access to Work

Helen Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what support his Department provides to enable people with depression to find work; and if he will make a statement.

Chris Grayling: DWP is fully committed to supporting disabled people, including those with mental health difficulties such as depression, to find suitable, sustainable work through Jobcentre Plus Personal Advisers, including disability employment advisers (DEAs), and programmes.
	The Work Programme will be an integrated package of support providing personalised help to a broad range of customers, including those who may previously have been receiving incapacity benefits for many years. We will offer providers higher rewards for supporting harder to help customers into employment to ensure that it is worthwhile for providers to offer all customer groups, including those with disabilities or health conditions, appropriate employment support. We aim to have the Work Programme in place nationally by the summer of 2011.
	Jobcentre Plus policy is to develop its people in the skills required to manage a range of behaviours demonstrated by customers, covering a variety of health conditions. This approach ensures that they are equipped to deal with a diverse set of circumstances whilst treating customers as individuals.
	Skilled employment advisers look at the interaction between the person, the job and an individual's ability. Advisers ensure that job goals relate to the person's abilities and that work solutions are sought which overcome any challenges a customer might face in a particular job.
	DWP and the other partners in the cross-government Health Work and Well-being Executive also have a programme of action for those in work. The programme of action looks to improve health at work and to reduce the level of ill health related job loss. It has a particular focus on support for people who have mental health conditions, as they are more likely to face stigma and discrimination and less likely to have access to timely diagnosis and the sorts of interventions that could help keep them in or help them to return to work quickly.

Disability Living Allowance

Kate Green: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what his most recent estimate is of the number of  (a) men and  (b) women in each parliamentary constituency in residential care who were in receipt of the mobility component of disability living allowance in 2009-10.

Maria Miller: Reliable estimates of gender of disability living allowance claimants in residential care homes are not available.

Employment and Support Allowance

Valerie Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many disabled people are claiming employment and support allowance in  (a) the UK,  (b) the West Midlands and  (c) Walsall South constituency.

Chris Grayling: The information is provided in the following table:
	
		
			  Caseloads of employment support allowance in Great Britain, West Midlands GOR and Walsall South parliamentary constituency 
			   Number of people claiming employment and support allowance 
			 Great Britain 479,430 
			 West Midlands GOR 43,190 
			 Walsall South Parliamentary Constituency 880 
			  Notes:  1. Caseload figures are rounded to the nearest ten; some additional disclosure control has also been applied.  2. Employment and support allowance (ESA). ESA replaced incapacity benefit and income support paid on the grounds of incapacity for new claims from 27 October 2008.  3. Figures are published on: http://statistics.dwp.gov.uk/asd/index.php?page=esa  4. The national data provided is for Great Britain as the information regarding Northern Ireland is the responsibility of the Northern Ireland Office.   Source:  DWP Information Directorate: Work and Pensions Longitudinal Study

Employment and Support Allowance: Bradford

David Ward: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many and what proportion of claimants of employment and support allowance in the Bradford area  (a) have been found capable of work,  (b) have appealed against that decision and  (c) have had their appeal granted since May 2005.

Chris Grayling: The information is as follows:
	 (a) Employment and support allowance (ESA) was introduced in October 2008. From the latest available data, 3,990 or 48% of all new ESA claims received in the Bradford local authority area were found fit for work at their initial work capability assessment (WCA), between October 2008 and February 2010.
	 (b) This information is not available. Data on appeals are collated only at the point the outcome is received from the Tribunals Service.
	 (c) Of all new ESA claims received between October 2008 and August 2009 that were found fit for work at the initial WCA, 850 or 34% have had an appeal heard by July 2010. Of this number, 260 or 31% of appeals heard found in favour of the appellant. The number of appeals heard after August 2009 is too low for inclusion.
	All caseload figures have been rounded to the nearest 10 and percentages to the nearest percentage point. These data are taken from benefit claims data held by the Department for Work and Pensions, functional assessment data from Atos Healthcare and appeals data sourced from the Tribunals Service.
	The Department regularly publishes official statistics on the work capability assessment. More information can be found on the departmental website here:
	http://research.dwp.gov.uk/asd/workingage/esa_wca/index.php?page=esa_wca_arc

Employment Schemes: Young People

Grahame Morris: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions whether he has made an assessment of the likely effect on the level of unemployment in the North East of cancelling the proposed extension of Young Person's Guarantee to 2011-12.

Chris Grayling: The young people's guarantee extension was cancelled as we will introduce the Work Programme by summer 2011.
	The Work Programme will provide an integrated package of personalised support on the basis of need rather than on the benefit claimed. It will be delivered by contractors drawn from the private, public and voluntary sectors with stronger incentives to get people into sustained work by paying delivery partners out of the additional benefits they realise as a result of placing people into work. We expect the Work Programme to improve employment outcomes for young people throughout the country including in the North East.
	Alongside the core Work Programme, a series of individual support measures are being introduced to Get Britain Working including:
	The new Enterprise Allowance scheme, giving access to business mentors and start-up loans;
	Work clubs, to give unemployed people a place to share skills and experiences;
	Service academies, which will offer specialised pre-employment training and work placements; and
	Work Together, to encourage and facilitate volunteering.
	Further support is also being planned for young people, including work experience opportunities, more apprenticeships and more further education places.
	Until the Work Programme is implemented, the Government will ensure appropriate support is in place.

Housing Benefit

Adrian Sanders: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will estimate the proportion of the population of each  (a) local authority and  (b) parliamentary constituency which was in receipt of local housing allowance in the latest period for which figures are available.

Steve Webb: Information is not available at parliamentary constituency level. A copy of the available information has been placed in the Library.

Housing Benefit

Karen Buck: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many properties his Department estimated were in the private rental sector in each local authority area in March 2010; and what proportion of households resident in such properties were in receipt of local housing allowance in March 2010.

Steve Webb: My most recent estimate is that approximately 40% of tenants in the private rented sector receive housing benefit.
	This is a national figure; reliable estimates at local level are not available.

Housing Benefit: Chester

Stephen Mosley: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions 
	(1)  how many households in  (a) Cheshire West and Chester and  (b) City of Chester constituencies claimed housing benefit for a (i) one-bedroom property, (ii) two-bedroom property, (iii) three-bedroom property and (iv) four-bedroom or greater property in the latest period for which figures are available;
	(2)  how many households in  (a) Cheshire West and Chester and  (b) City of Chester constituencies claimed housing benefit of more than (i) £250 a week for a one-bedroom property, (ii) £290 a week for a two-bedroom property, (iii) £340 a week for a three-bedroom property and (iv) £400 a week for a four or more bedroom property in the latest period for which figures are available.

Steve Webb: The Department published a document on 'Impacts of Housing Benefit proposals: Changes to the Local Housing Allowance to be introduced in 2011-12' on 23 July, which includes analysis at the local authority level. A copy of the document has been placed in the Library.

Housing Benefit: Argyll and Bute

Alan Reid: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what level of local housing allowance is payable in the Argyll and Bute Broad Rental Market Area; and what level would be payable at the 30th percentile for each dwelling size.

Steve Webb: The information for November 2010 is shown in the table. The Scottish Executive calculates and publishes every month the future 30th percentile rates alongside the current local housing allowance rates for all Broad Rental Market Areas in Scotland.
	
		
			  Local housing allowance rates, November 2010, Argyll and Bute 
			  Bedroom entitlement  Current rate  (£ per week)  30th percentile rate (£ per week) 
			 Shared-room 73.85 69.23 
			 One-bedroom 91.15 80.77 
			 Two-bedroom 114.23 103.85 
			 Three-bedroom 133.85 126.92 
			 Four-bedroom 196.15 173.08 
			 Five-bedroom 253.85 n/a 
			 n/a = not applicable  Note: Under the reform proposals, bedroom entitlement will be capped at the four-bedroom rate so no five-bedroom rate is calculated.  Source: Scottish Executive website

Housing Benefit: Armed Forces

Graham Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what estimate he has made of the number of partners, spouses or dependants of armed services personnel who are serving or have served in  (a) Afghanistan and  (b) Iraq who were in receipt of housing benefit in the most recent period for which figures are available.

Steve Webb: This information is not available.

Housing Benefit: Scotland

Gregg McClymont: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many households receiving housing benefit in Cumbernauld, Kilsyth and Kirkintilloch East constituency contain at least one individual who has been in receipt of Jobseeker's Allowance for more than a year.

Steve Webb: The information requested is not available.
	From February 2007, DWP has been collecting more detailed housing benefit and council tax benefit data electronically from local authorities. Over time this will improve the accuracy, timeliness and level of detail available in the published statistics, as the information supplied is quality assured.
	At present, the management information needed to estimate durations on housing benefit has not been sufficiently quality assured; and, while information is collected on the number of claimants in receipt of a passported benefit, which includes income-based jobseeker's allowance, the total number of jobseeker's allowance claimants receiving housing benefit is not available.
	Housing benefit caseload and average weekly amounts are available at local authority area level and these are published on the Department's website at:
	http://www.dwp.gov.uk/asd/hbctb.asp

Housing Benefit: Scotland

Gregg McClymont: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many households receiving housing benefit in Scotland consist of at least one individual who has been in receipt of Jobseeker's Allowance for more than a year.

Steve Webb: The information requested is not available.
	From February 2007, DWP has been collecting more detailed housing benefit and council tax benefit data electronically from local authorities. Over time this will improve the accuracy, timeliness and level of detail available in the published statistics, as the information supplied is quality assured.
	At present, the management information needed to estimate durations on housing benefit has not been sufficiently quality assured; and, while information is collected on the number of claimants in receipt of a passported benefit, which includes income-based jobseeker's allowance, the total number of jobseeker's allowance claimants receiving housing benefit is not available.
	Housing benefit caseload and average weekly amounts are available at local authority area level and these are published on the Department's website at:
	http://www.dwp.gov.uk/asd/hbctb.asp

Industrial Health and Safety

John McDonnell: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many prosecutions the Health and Safety Executive brought against employers in cases of failure to manage high temperatures in the workplace in 2009.

Chris Grayling: From 1 April 2009 to 31 March 2010, the Health and Safety Executive took no prosecutions as a result of employers' failures to manage high temperatures in the workplace.

Parliamentary and Healthcare Ombudsman

James Morris: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions in respect of how many cases  (a) nationally and  (b) in Halesowen and Rowley Regis constituency Atos Healthcare has been referred to (i) the Independent Case Examiner and (ii) the Parliamentary and Healthcare Ombudsman since 2005 on matters related to the General Medical Council's codes of conduct and confidentiality.

Maria Miller: With regard to the number of case referrals made to the (i) Independent Case Examiner and (ii) the Parliamentary and Healthcare Ombudsman, the Department does not keep information on issues relating to GMC codes of conduct and confidentiality.
	The Independent Case Examiner will investigate complaints about Atos Healthcare referred to him by customers of Jobcentre Plus and the Pension, Disability and Carers Service, where the complaint relates to administration issues. This could include issues regarding confidentially breaches; however customers raising complaints with ICE that relate specifically to the General Medical Council's Code of Conduct would be referred to the General Medical Council.
	The Independent Case Examiner's office does not record complaints relating to Atos Healthcare separately from other complaints arising from Jobcentre Plus and the Pension, Disability and Carers Service.
	The Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman will consider investigating complaints referred direct from Members of Parliament. Information about the volume and type of referrals received should therefore be requested directly from the Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman's Office.

Pensioners: Livingston

Graeme Morrice: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many pensioners in Livingston constituency receive  (a) the basic state pension and  (b) pension credit.

Steve Webb: The document "Caseloads for selected benefits by 2010 Parliamentary Constituencies, February 2010" includes figures for pension credit and state pension and is available in the Library or via the following link:
	http://research.dwp.gov.uk/asd/asd1/stats_summary/benefit_new_parlc_table_feb10.xls
	The state pension figures are for the total state pension caseload. Around 1% of state pension recipients are not in receipt of the basic state pension, but are receiving additional state pension only or graduated retirement benefit only.

Remploy: Sheffield

David Blunkett: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what plans he has for the future of Remploy Ltd in Sheffield; and if he will make a statement.

Maria Miller: I refer the hon. Member to the written answer I gave the hon. Member for Wrexham (Ian Lucas) on 26 October 2010,  Official Report, column 195W.

Revenue and Customs: Debt Collection

Teresa Pearce: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what estimate he has made of the number of posts to be deleted in HM Revenue and Customs as a result of the implementation of proposals to transfer debt collection services to private sector agencies.

David Gauke: I have been asked to reply.
	The additional capacity for HMRC to use debt collection agencies announced in the June Budget will accelerate the collection of lower value tax debts and generate an additional £140 million from debts that might otherwise have been written off in future. This additional capacity does not replace HMRC staff.

Social Security Benefits: Disability

Virendra Sharma: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many families in Ealing, Southall constituency are in receipt of  (a) incapacity benefit,  (b) attendance allowance and  (c) disability living allowance.

Maria Miller: The information requested is not available by family. Information on the number of people receiving disability living allowance, attendance allowance and incapacity benefit in Ealing Southall constituency is contained in the following table.
	
		
			  Recipients of incapacity benefit/severe disablement allowance, disability living allowance and attendance allowance as at February 2010-Ealing, Southall constituency 
			   Recipients 
			 Incapacity benefit/ severe disablement allowance 3,670 
			 Disability living allowance (in payment) 4,210 
			 Attendance allowance (in payment) 1,880 
			  Notes: 1. Caseload figures are rounded to the nearest 10; some additional disclosure control has also been applied. 2. For disability living allowance and attendance allowance the totals show the number of people in receipt of an allowance, and excludes people with entitlement where the payment has been suspended, for example because they are in hospital. 3. A claimant can be in receipt of more than one of these benefits and will therefore be counted for each benefit they receive. 4. Incapacity benefit was replaced by employment and support allowance from October 2008. 5. Figures for employment and support allowance are not included. 6. Constituencies used are for the Westminster Parliament of May 2010.  Source: DWP Information Directorate: Work and Pensions Longitudinal Study.

Social Security Benefits: Fraud

Teresa Pearce: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions with reference to his Department's publication Tackling Fraud and Error in the Benefit and Tax Credits Systems, page 20, paragraph 6, on customer segmentation analysis, what proportion of customers are classified as organised criminals.

David Gauke: I have been asked to reply.
	The Trust Statement that accompanied HMRC's 2009-10 accounts, published at:
	www.hmrc.gov.uk/about/hmrc-accs-0910.pdf
	explains how the Department measures the overall level of tax credits error and fraud. Those involved in organised fraud are amongst the 6% categorised as 'rule breakers' in the publication referred to by the hon. Member in her question. HMRC are unable to identify the proportion of customers classified as organised criminals with this segment.

Welfare State: Reform

Margaret Ritchie: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions pursuant to the answer of 12 October 2010,  Official Report, column 459W, on the welfare state: reform, what timetable he has set for publication of his Department's Welfare Reform White Paper.

Chris Grayling: We expect to publish the White Paper in the next few weeks.

Winter Fuel Payments

Jon Trickett: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many households received the winter fuel allowance at each rate in each constituency in the last 12 month period for which figures are available.

Steve Webb: The information is not available in the format requested. Such information as is available for individuals who received each rate of winter fuel payment in each parliamentary constituency is in the document "Winter Fuel Payment amounts by Parliamentary Constituency as at Winter 2009/10." This is available in the Library and on the internet at:
	http://research.dwp.gov.uk/asd/index.php?page=wfp

Winter Fuel Payments

Jon Trickett: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many winter fuel allowance payments were made to UK citizens resident in other European countries in the last 12 months for which figures are available; and what the total monetary value was of such payments.

Steve Webb: I refer the hon. Member to the written answer I gave the hon. Member for Easington (Grahame M. Morris) on 20 October 2010,  Official Report, column 768W.

Written Questions: Government Responses

Adrian Sanders: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions when he expects to answer question 18602, on local housing allowance, tabled by the hon. Member for Torbay on 18 October 2010.

Steve Webb: All ordinary written questions on housing benefit tabled by the hon. Member before 1 November have now been answered.